Mz Hyde
by StakeTheHeart
Summary: Jade buys an old ring in a suspicious shop. Thoughts are no longer hers. Actions are no longer under her control. Is she going crazy? All Jade knows is that she was loosing herself and it had to do with the ring. There was definitely something more to it than she thought.
1. Girl, You Better Run For Your Life!

**Okay, so I got this idea when I was listening to Mz. Hyde by Halestorm (If you get the time listen to that band, do it, its awesome! It seems like something Jade would listen to but that's my opinion). For anyone who knows me this is completely new territory for me. I just recently fell back into the Victorious bandwagon thanks to the many awesome writers here. I realized that I pretty much write multiple stories on the same topics so I decided to try and step out of my element. Whether I pull it off or just wazz off some poor reader, I am happy to have readers in the first place! Enjoy!**

* * *

Getting out of the house was enough to pull Jade out of the heated thoughts concerning her overbearing father. She walked with her hands in the pocket of her black hoodie. She briefly considered dropping by to see Cat, just to hear her bubbly friend ramble without end. She never liked that but it would get her mind off her anger which Beck always reminded her to get a grip on. She scoffed and shook her head. Beck…she was still listening to him even when they broke up. He had broken up with her for reasons she was still unclear about. It hurt but she never let herself think too much about it.

Emotion, whether it was expressing it or dealing with it in any way, was not her strong point. It didn't matter; she had full support from Andre, Cat, and…Tori of all people. Even when she was mean to her she was still there for her. Her initial hate for the girl was because she kissed Beck, but after that passed, she still had no idea why she didn't like her. Honestly, she didn't mind the half Latina. She thought about that often when she was left to her own thoughts. Wind nipped at her exposed face and she sighed, her breath visible in the air. She raised her head from staring at her feet to see a small, old building come into view. She had seen the poor excuse for a shop many times on her way to school but she never stopped to check it out.

To be honest, its dank exterior drew her in and the dark atmosphere inside peaked her interest. She dug in her back pocket to make sure she had her card on her before making her way to the dingy glass entrance. Heck, maybe getting another strange object to add to her already macabre collection in her room would make her feel better. A small bell sounded as she pushed open the door and stepped into the dimly lit shop. A quick scan of her surroundings turned up half dusty shelves full of various knick knacks, glass sculptures, tomes bound in leather, old dolls, jewelry, and toys among other things. She took no more than three steps forward before a wheezing voice made her almost jump.

"Have your eye on something miss?" it questioned from the shadows. A stooped old man came out from behind a high shelf to stand before her. He watched her with beady eyes and his hands slightly shook when he set down an elegant clock on a nearby table. A frown worked its way on her face. She cleared her throat and stood tall before answering.

"What have you got in the way of skulls?" she questioned. His thick, bushy white eyebrows rose before he nodded and shuffled to the other side of the shop. She followed him as they wound through shelves and tables to stop at a display case housing various animal skulls and one very deformed skull that looked slightly human. Its teeth were strangely sharp.

"Take your pick," he told her as his rheumatic hand gestured to the remains. She took a step closer and her eyes automatically fell on a skull that resembled some type of cat's. The slender, smooth, off white drew her in. It was almost perfectly intact. She went to point it out but something else caught her eye. In the neighboring display case sat a ring surrounded by velvet. The band was made up of wings that resembled a dragon's. Red streaks made of some jewel ran throughout the dark grey wings. She must have been staring long enough because the storekeeper took notice.

"Ah, I see you found the ancient Ring of the Demon. It is said it belonged to a man who sold his soul for the power of invincibility. He received this power from a very strong demon who granted him his wish through the use of that ring. It came to be here by the man's brother who didn't want anything to do with it. You see, he told me his brother died of suicide shortly after he started wearing the ring. It seems it did not work," the old man laughed. It was cut short by a cough. Jade tilted her head curiously, not believing one word the old geezer said. It was a brilliantly cut ring and the shimmering red seemed to call to her.

"How much for it?" she asked, still staring at the ring. The man gave her a calculating look before he shrugged.

"Only sixty; I see no worth in it besides its back story. Truthfully, the jewel it contains doesn't seem to be of any I've seen and looks to be plastic to me. Its story is quite a remarkable one but I'm sure it was only a lie to get it to sell," he grumbled as he pulled out keys to unlock the case. Jade mentally noted how the merchant had told the story. He didn't seem uninterested in it then.

"Whatever, here," she stated as she held out her card. He took it and shuffled over to the cash register. After he rung up her purchase, he dug under the counter for a box.

"Don't bother, I'll wear it," she told him to save him the trouble. Something registered in his gaze and he hesitated for only a second before nodding and held the ring out to her. Jade took it from his shaking hand and slipped it on her left middle finger. It fit perfectly.

"There are no returns," the old man wheezed warily. Jade looked up to question him but he was already shuffling through a door behind the counter. Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked down at the glinting wings encircling her finger and then shrugged. She exited the shop and began her walk to Cat's, still unwilling to return home. She was glad Cat didn't live far. It was great when her father was in a bad mood and all Jade wanted to do was escape. She rounded the corner into the cul-de-sac that Cat lived in and walked up to her door. Two knocks later and the door swung open to reveal her hyper, red headed friend.

"Jade! I didn't know you were coming! How exciting!" she practically squealed.

"Yeah, don't make me rethink my decision either. Andre's was my next choice but he lives farther away and I'm not too fond of the idea of walking that far," she replied.

"Why don't you get a ride?" Cat wondered.

"Because my car is in the repair shop for a busted light and I'm not asking my jerk-wad of a Dad that's why," Jade snapped, pulling her hands from her hoodie pockets to cross her arms angrily. Cat gasped with a hand to her mouth and then pulled Jade inside.

"You had another fight?" she questioned.

"Yes, what gave it away?" Jade retorted sarcastically, sighing when she saw Cat's sad face.

"Look, I don't want to talk about it ok?" she said as she looked away. Cat nodded and wrung her hands until Jade stopped her.

"I'm fine, ok? I just need to stop dwelling on it. How about we watch a movie or something?" she offered. Cat immediately cheered up.

"Ok! Let's watch Enchanted and sing along with the songs!" she exclaimed happily as she dragged Jade to her room. She held back her dislike of the selection and let Cat take the lead. After all, she did want to take her mind off her anger; even if it involved a doppelganger of Cat running around New York. She sat and watched the movie but she was in no mood to sing once the songs came. She was just too preoccupied with the ring. She had taken a break to use the restroom and took the ring off to wash her hands. The second the ring was back on her hand, it seemed to tighten. She had stared at it for a long time, wondering if she was nuts before dropping the idea and returning to Cat. Through the movie she fingered the ring, still wondering if its story was real or not. After the movie was over, Cat offered her lunch and then she reluctantly had to trudge back home. With a hug from Cat, she was on her way.

Jade entered her home on quiet feet. Her Dad seemed to be out so she walked straight for her room. Tomorrow would be school and she was looking forward to going. Her friends would make her feel better even if she didn't show it. The next few hours were passed by finishing homework and listening to music. Once she was done, she got into her pajamas which consisted of grey sweats and a black tank top and then hopped in bed. Her red patterned walls stared back at her. She glanced around the room at the various objects she had collected, thinking about the ring that now sat on her desk. By the time her thoughts finally dulled, she fell asleep.

* * *

Jade woke up with a start and glanced at the clock. She woke up thirty minutes before her alarm was set. She groaned and pushed her dark hair out of her face and reached over to shut it off before it could buzz. She was awake now so she decided to get up and get in the shower. After she was dressed, she searched for her phone and pocketed it. She grabbed her ring on the way out and slipped it on her finger as she came downstairs. She walked into the kitchen to see her Dad getting coffee. She offered no greeting, just made herself coffee; black with sugar. Her Dad only glanced at her before she walked out and back to her room. She scooped up her bag and sat on her bed until it was time to face the silent drive to school. When that time finally came, he stuck his head in, told her he was leaving, and Jade followed him out. The ride to school was a little tense and she gave her dad no good bye as she opened the door and got out. As she walked up to the doors she caught a glance of Beck talking to some girl in the parking lot. It had been a month since their break up and she was still possessive of him. Old habits, she guessed dismissively. She frowned and pushed open the door to Hollywood Arts, entering a bright and loud atmosphere.

"Jade! How are you feeling?" Cat asked as she ran up to her. Jade only spared her a glance before walking past, a silent command to follow.

"I'm fine Cat. Better than yesterday actually," she answered in a monotone. She busied herself with putting her book in her locker.

"That's good! I was so bummed yesterday because you were sad and my brother was too. He accidentally-" she began but Jade cut her off.

"Cat, I don't want to hear about your brother ok?" she told the red head.

"Oh, ok," she replied. Jade reassured Cat one last time before walking off to her first class of the day. By the time lunch came around Jade was ready to go home and sit in her dark room. Her mood was starting to take a downturn and she knew just the person who was sure to get most of it. She sat at their usual bench out at the Asphalt Café. Tori was already there, eating her salad. She looked up hesitantly when Jade approached and didn't say a word once she was seated. Her brown eyes occasionally searched for Jade's blue-green ones. Jade knew it was her silent way of understanding when she was in a bad mood.

"Vega, keep your eyes on your food and not me will you?" she snapped.

"You ok?" Tori asked, ignoring her comment. Jade finally looked up at her, slightly surprised she was unfazed by her. Usually Tori frowned at her retorts but this time she didn't.

"I'm fine I guess," Jade replied, playing with her own salad. Tori's gaze faded into concern.

"Something's off today. I don't exactly know what it is but…hey is that a new ring?" she asked, pointing to it. Jade lifted her hand to look at it, as if she just now remembered she had it on.

"Yeah got it yesterday," she replied before going back to her food. Tori tilted her head curiously and opened her mouth to ask something else when the rest of their friends minus Robbie carrying Rex to which Jade was happy. Beck glanced at her uneasily before taking a seat by Andre who sat next to Tori. Cat sat on Jade's other side, effectively cutting her off from being next to Beck.

"So chica, how's your day going?" Andre asked Tori.

"Oh, besides trying to learn how to play another instrument I completely fail at, I'm great," she replied.

"Sucks for you," Jade commented.

"And I suppose you know how to play an instrument?" Tori retorted, her eyebrow rising.

"Yes, I know how to play the piano," she replied, slightly insulted her musical talent was being questioned.

"I know how to play a blade of grass!" Cat piped in. Everyone looked at her.

"Cat, a blade of grass isn't an instrument," Jade told her.

"Oh, well, I also play a little violin," she supplied.

"You can't play that," Jade scoffed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Cat exclaimed, a look of intense hurt on her face. Jade sighed and looked away. Tori gave her a frown before speaking up.

"Being able to play a blade of grass takes a lot of talent Cat," Tori told the sad red head. She immediately brightened.

"Yay!" she cheered. Beck and Andre shook their head before starting to eat. Tori smiled but Jade sent a sideways glare at her.

"You always seem to ruin the fun Vega," she said under her breath.

"Only for you," she responded just as quietly, not even looking at Jade. She looked up at Tori who was now in a conversation with Andre about something. Why did she say that? She looked back down at her salad and concentrated on eating, ignoring the way she was feeling over the comment. After school was over Tori caught up to her and stopped her at her locker.

"Hey Jade. Heard you didn't have a ride home…or you just don't want to take it. Wait, that came out wrong. I meant-" she babbled. Jade frowned and leaned on the lockers.

"Spit it out Vega," she demanded. Tori halted in her rant and nodded.

"I was wondering if you needed a ride," she finally said.

"I'm not taking offers from Trina. I don't want to have to pay back that no talent sister of yours. I'd rather walk home," she responded.

"No, I mean, I have my license now. I'll give you a ride," she offered. Jade looked up into the smiling face of Tori Vega and frowned.

"Why?" was the only thing she said.

"Well, I know you aren't feeling too good and I don't know. I guess I want to help?" she replied uncertainly. Her hands began to fiddle as Jade took time to process her answer. She never did like Tori Vega but she was always nice to her. Sure she fought back when it was needed but Jade was always the one who started it. She glanced down and her ring was the first thing she saw. A strange feeling came over her and then she nodded.

"Sure, I'll take that ride," she replied. Tori smiled.

"Ok then, whenever you're ready," she said. Jade slammed her locker and followed the youngest Vega out of school, all the while wondering if it wouldn't hurt to be nice to her once in a while.


	2. In The Daylight

The only conversation between them on the ride home consisted of Jade giving Tori directions. For the most part, no one besides Beck had ever been to Jade's house. It briefly crossed Jade's mind that Tori was closely becoming the second. Tori pulled up at Jade's house and parked the car. She turned to say something but thought better of it and stayed quiet. Jade grabbed her bag and popped open the door, ready to get out, when Tori grabbed her wrist. She turned back to look at her.

"Um, if you need someone to talk to I'm here," Tori mumbled.

"I know," Jade replied. Tori looked up and her small smile turned into a full one. She released Jade's wrist and waved. Jade got out, slung her bag over her shoulder and then walked up to her house. Homework seemed to keep her busy by the time her Dad got home. By then, anger and yells were tossed between them as he spouted out demands. Jade told him to fuck off and slammed her door in his face. She sat on her bed, her Dad's angry face still branded in her mind. She knew he must have talked to her mom sometime that day. Their divorce hadn't been for nothing after all; she just wished her mom had taken her instead. Working on home work was pointless when she couldn't concentrate.

She tried to clear the negative thoughts from her head but she couldn't so she stood, readying herself to take a shower. The last thing she took off was the ring which she set on the counter. The warm water soothed some of her knotted muscles after almost an hour. Finally feeling better, she got out, returned to her room to place the ring on her desk, and started up on her work again. When she was done, she fell back onto her bed and relaxed. It was nowhere near the usual time she went to bed but she fell into a heavy sleep regardless. By the time her alarm went off, Jade still didn't want to get up. She felt like she went through emotional whiplash and blamed her dream, whatever she had been dreaming about.

Getting ready for the day was a slow event until her phone went off. She swiped the device out from under her pillow and opened the text. Tori had asked if she needed a ride to school. She replied with her usual snipped response, 'Obviously'. She slipped on her ring, wincing when it felt like the piece of jewelry simultaneously burned and tightened on her finger. She moved to pull it off but a familiar car outside got her attention. Her Dad hadn't left when she made her way downstairs. In fact, he was currently looking out the window with a calculating look.

"Where's Beck?" he questioned her with an edge to his voice.

"What do you care?" she sneered, wrenching open the door and slamming it on her way out. She stomped over to the car parked outside her house and got in. Tori seemed to pick up on her mood.

"Jade…you ok?" she questioned hesitantly. The goth looked over at the always sunny half Latina and nodded.

"Yeah, I'll be fine once we leave," she replied. Tori gave her an uncertain glance before pulling away from the curb and heading for school. The silence was relatively tense the whole way. Tori felt like she should say something but thought against it. When Jade was in a bad mood it was best to leave her alone. After all, it wasn't everyday Jade let her get as close as she was currently. The dark haired girl didn't let anyone close. Beck was the only one. Tori glanced at Jade who caught her staring and lifted her pierced brow at her. The ominous feeling Tori felt recently mixed with her other emotions. She didn't understand what it could be but suddenly her eyes fell on the ring. She hadn't been feeling this way until Jade began wearing that ring.

"You mind stopping by Jet Brew, I need coffee," Jade's stern voice cut through her thoughts.

"Sure," Tori replied, locking her eyes forward to avoid any further distractions. She waited for Jade in the car when she went in. By the time she came back out, she held two coffee cups in her hands. Tori leaned over to open the passenger door for her. She pushed it the rest of the way with her hip and then sat down. She passed one to Tori, switched the other, and then shut the door. Tori held her coffee with confusion written all over her face. Jade saw her confusion and her trademark smirk appeared.

"What, I can't get my sometimes-friend a coffee?" she asked. Tori was quick to reply.

"No, no of course; I just thought that…well, I was under the impression we weren't friends at all," she responded, holding the warm cup between both hands. Her eyes refused to look at the girl next to her. The smell of hazelnut came from the cup in her hand and she almost smiled. Jade knew it was her favorite just like Tori knew Jade's was black with two sugars.

"Look Vega, I know I haven't treated you like a friend but I know a good person when I see one even though saying that makes me sick. But you've helped me before so there's my thanks. Why are you even questioning it anyway; just shut up and drink the coffee," Jade grumbled, sipping her own before putting her seat belt on with one hand. She was frowning and avoiding Tori's gaze, knowing she was smiling happily. She was of course. Tori took a drink from the coffee, put it in the cup holder, and then started up the car. As soon as Tori shut the car off outside Hollywood Arts, Jade quickly exited and walked off. Tori rushed after her.

"A good deed never goes unpunished," Jade mumbled to herself. Tori fell into step with her not a moment later, that stupid smile on her face. They stepped into school together but parted ways to go to their respective lockers. By the time Tori was finished getting what she needed, Jade was gone. She let out a breath of air and turned to go to class. Jade sat in her first class, her thoughts slowly going back to Tori, to her annoyance. Why she always had her on her mind she didn't want to know. She made sure to participate in class to keep her occupied. Once Sikowitz's class came around, Jade was calmly leaning back in her chair. She barely heard their crazy teacher talking the whole time until the announcement of a video project came up.

"So, I want you all to think up a great horror themed short film and have it due Monday of next week," Sikowitz explained, holding up two fingers at them for emphasis. Andre chose to speak up.

"Are we allowed a group?" he asked.

"Good question, yes you may have up to three people but I'd be most pleased to see you strike out on your own," he responded. At the news of being able to have more than one partner, the class began planning. No one stopped until the bell rang, the students filed out, deep in conversation. Jade hurriedly left to lunch, grabbed herself something to eat, and then headed for their usual spot when she saw the happy brunette once more.

"Damn and I was making such progress," she complained under her breath. Beck sat next to Tori. If Jade didn't know better, he was channeling his Brit-with-no-space-boundaries; except he didn't have the accent. Tori sat, food untouched, with an uncomfortable expression. Her eyes shifted anywhere but Beck and she constantly scooted away when he advanced. Jade found herself getting angry at the boy. She had to admit she was slightly jealous, but not for the reason she thought. She marched over, with the only food she could get from Festus, a burrito, and sat next to Tori. She shot daggers at Beck who ignored her. As soon as Tori caught sight of Jade, relief flooded her features and she smiled.

"Hey Jade, what's up?" she asked, noticing the way Jade scowled at the two of them. She rushed to cheer the girl up when she didn't answer. Beck was returning her glare so she stood, walked around to Jade's other side and sat back down. She didn't want to upset Beck but he started it. A smug smile replaced the scowl and now Beck was the one frowning.

"Dude, what's your problem?" Jade asked, even though she knew exactly what his problem was.

"You know what **you're** problem is Jade, you just can't accept that we are done. I want to move on and you should too," he told her. He thought she was mad because he was moving on but he was far from right. She denied her current feelings but that didn't mean she didn't have them. She knew she was mad at him for another reason, Tori. The half Latina frowned worriedly and hesitantly placed a comfortingly warm hand on the crook of Jade's arm and out of Beck's sight. The touch pulled Jade from her heated death glare match with Beck. Her attention was now on Tori.

"Please, don't fight," she told them both. Beck sighed and ran a hand through his hair while Jade kept her eyes down. Tori was surprised they even listened, especially Jade. At that moment, the sound of Andre's jovial voice followed by Cat's and Robbie's bickering voices, made Tori retract her hand and turn to her food. Jade's eyebrows slanted down slightly at the missing warmth but said nothing.

"Hey everyone!" Cat exclaimed, plopping down. Andre sat between Cat and Robbie who were done fighting for the time being. Ever since they began going out, they fought. If they weren't fighting, they were off making out somewhere. Jade spared them a greeting in the form of a quick glance in their direction before going back to eating. The group was used to the lack of input from her, aside from the occasional barb, so they left her alone. As Jade walked back to her locker to arrange things for the end of the day, she found Tori waiting for her. She rose a pierced eyebrow at her and Tori smiled.

"Hey partner," Tori greeted.

"I'm your partner?" Jade questioned skeptically. She stopped in front of Tori with arms crossed. Tori must have noted the way Jade receded back to just being Jade but it didn't slow her down. She was determined to see that other, hidden side of Jade she saw that morning.

"Yeah, I would be crazy to consider anyone other than you. Who else will be able to pull off something as scary as what I know you can do," she replied honestly. Jade smirked and shrugged indifferently.

"Well, I shouldn't boast," she responded, her smirk turning into a smile when Tori smiled wider.

"So, partners?" she asked the raven haired goth with an outstretched hand. Jade glanced down and nodded.

"Sure Vega," she agreed, accepting Tori's hand. They shook once, but Jade didn't miss the way Tori's cheeks reddened slightly or her own feelings. She let Tori's hand drop hastily and pointed to the exit.

"Can I catch another ride with you? My car will be out tomorrow so I won't be bugging you anymore," she stated.

"I don't mind," Tori said quietly. Jade smirked.

"Let's go then. I was wondering if we could go to my place to make a rough outline of the project," Tori offed.

"Sounds like a plan. I'm in no rush to go home anyway," she replied. They walked over to the exit together. The next two hours were spent putting together a rough draft and snacking at the Vega household. Their idea was that a girl house sits her friend's house because the friend and her family went on a vacation. The girl stops by to make sure all is well but is unexpectedly and unknowing being followed through the house. The creature would be some type of vampire or demon disguised as a human. The transformation of said creature from human to monster was sure to earn them extra with Sikowitz. At the end, the girl is killed and it is assumed the monster moves on to the next house; which was something the girls were clearly having different opinions about.

"But why does she have to die?" Tori asked for the third time.

"Is it because you'll be playing the damsel in distress?" Jade asked her with her trademark smirk. Tori huffed, her eyebrows slanting down and her nose crinkling in her own trademark unhappy face.

"No, but it's so dark. Sikowitz said horror not gore," she remarked.

"Yes, but she could still die without gore. Besides, it's more interesting if the character dies," she responded easily.

"Fine, so how are we going to pull that off?" she questioned, her arms crossing. Jade could hear a hint of disbelief in her tone.

"It could be a concealed type of scene. Look, the character could be chased into an area that the audience can't see but they can hear everything that's going on so in a way, they can make up whatever's happening based on what they hear. Their own imagination will do the work for what the camera can't. After all, the unknown scares people more than outright gore," Jade pointed out. Tori's eyebrows began to relax as she thought it over.

"Oh, ok then I guess you have a point," she agreed.

"Yes, yes I do. So now that we have this at least on an outline I think we should gather a few props and start trying to see how to set up scenes," Jade suggested.

"How about we use your house?" Tori asked suddenly. Jade froze and looked at the girl across from her searchingly.

"Why?" she questioned simply.

"Well, I'm sure you don't want Trina bugging and the fact that your home is a mystery to most it would make for an uncomfortable atmosphere that I'm unused to. That could help me act. We won't have to tell anyone it's your house anyway," she explained, telling herself that the idea didn't surface just because she was too curious to see Jade's home for herself. Jade's gaze narrowed slightly but eventually she nodded.

"Sure," she replied with a hint of a grumble. Jade didn't want anyone near her home for the simple fact that if her Dad happened to be there she didn't want anyone to see just how much of an ass he could be, but Tori just had to plead with her all too expressive deep brown eyes and she agreed.

"Just promise me you listen to me if my Dad ever comes home for whatever reason," she compromised. Tori looked confused for only a few seconds before she nodded and gave the goth a salute.

"No problem captain," she reassured Jade. Jade let a small laugh go at the half Latina's antics.

"You are such a dork," she accused. Tori laughed.

"I've heard," she replied, proud. Jade decided to head out once they set the time for the next day they would start up the project, and then Tori took her home. As she entered her room, she dropped her Gears of War bag by her bed and then sat to get her black combat boots off. She then fell back on her bed heavily and groaned. Ever since she got home her hand had felt like it was on fire. It ached every time she flexed it. She held out the offensive hand and her eyes landed on the ring. She stared at it hard and then had the unexplained urge to take it off and chuck it in the trash. She yanked on the piece of jewelry but it wouldn't budge. She went on to every method she knew to remove stubborn rings but none worked.

"What the chiz is wrong with this thing?" she questioned. It felt like it was tight and burned hot, spreading discomfort through her hand, but there was no sign of a bruise, or swelling, or redness at all. She examined it from all angles before giving up and getting into her pajamas. Fatigue suddenly caught her unaware and she staggered to her bed. As soon as she crashed, her thoughts tangled around an intense nightmare.


	3. Welcome To The Nightmare In My Head

**Had to fix a few things like pairing and rating that I didn't really think about when I started this. I know the rating I'm going to give it may not be needed but I like to be safe. Especially when it comes to language and any gore I might throw in. I really don't deal with anything besides that, sorry for anyone looking for something else...you know who you are! Anyways, this is where things get interesting so enjoy!**

* * *

Jade stood in a forest illuminated by rays of sunlight that filtered through the trees. She looked around in confusion before beginning her search for a way out. As she walked, she realized she had to be going in circles. The same scenery kept passing until she sat on a fallen tree to avoid frustration and think of a new plan. It was then that she heard it. It sounded like someone whispering in her ear. Was it a girl? She stood and looked around but no one was there. She frowned and walked through the same group of trees she had before to come out in a different area of the forest.

It opened into a clearing with edges that were somehow black and foreboding. Jade rarely if ever got scared of anything, but the feeling in her gut was telling her to run. She was just about to leave when a sight that surprised her had her moving out into the open clearing. It was her. Jade found herself resting on the ground, using a tree stump as a back rest. Her doppelganger was dressed in pure black attire; tight shirt, sturdy pants, boots with small spikes under the sole, and an impressive trench coat draped over it all. When her twin of sorts spotted her, it smirked in a way that made Jade uncomfortable.

"Take a seat Jadelyn," her other, somehow darker self, gestured to the now dead grass next to her. Jade glanced around at the suddenly twisted trees and rotting plants around her. Her eyes landed back on her other self again.

"I'd rather not," she replied.

"Why not? I won't bite," she replied in a sneaky way. Jade was sure it was lying and didn't want to get any closer but a sudden force pushed her forward and she stumbled.

"What the-" she exclaimed, resisting the pressure.

"Calm Jade and come over here," her other self instructed soothingly. Jade was slowly pushed forward and then forced to the ground next to her devious looking clone.

"So how are you doing kid?" her darker self asked offhandedly.

"What are you?" she practically spat. Her body trembled as she fought to get up and failed. All her instincts told her to get out of there.

"I'm you. Possibly the real you, just holed up in here waiting to get out," the clone stated, the blue-green eyes temporarily flashing red. Jade knew all too well that the tone used was meant to mess with people. She had used it many times.

"I find that hard to believe," Jade replied as evenly as she could. The clone laughed coldly, making her wince at the sound. She never thought her snarky tone could ever make her uncomfortable. She briefly wondered if this was how cold everyone thought she was.

"I see your thoughts disagree with you," the clone observed.

"Get out of my head," she snarled. The clone held up innocent gloved hands and shrugged.

"You aren't me so what the fuck are you doing here?" she demanded, letting her anger cut through and replace the overwhelming fear.

"Ok you caught me. I don't normally look like this but I chose this form to make you feel more…accepting," the clone replied, smiling with pointed teeth. Jade was shocked to see such a grin on her own face.

"Here I thought it was accepting but I think I'm freaking you out. Would this be more preferable?" the clone questioned. In a blink of an eye, her clone was no longer a clone of herself. Instead, she was now staring at Tori Vega in the exact same black attire fitted to her small shape. Jade's eyes widened.

"Of course I know of your little crush on Vega. I'm a part of you now after all," the clone Tori stated. The voice sounded like Tori's but at the same time it was all wrong. The sound of it made Jade sick.

"This is all just a nightmare," she whispered to herself. Suddenly, her face was pulled up by fierce, cold, unforgiving hands and she was staring into the red eyed, sharp toothed, version of Tori Vega. The eyes were ablaze and angry.

"This isn't a nightmare, it's real. I can prove it to you," the Tori clone growled. The gloves tore as a claw appeared in place of a hand. The flesh was a mottled red that curved into a black tipped claw. The Tori clone held Jade's face steady and dragged the sharp tip of the claw down her cheek softly.

"If you feel pain and you don't wake up, it's real. Want to find out?" it questioned her amusedly. She shook her head the best she could and tried to tear away but her body seemed to be in a vice. It laughed and then lunged tearing into her side. She cried out as the pain wracked her body and the warmth of blood washed over her. The Tori clone laughed coldly and smirked.

"I guess you aren't dreaming West," it teased. The clone let her head drop and stood to pace in front of her. It was then that she realized the surroundings had changed again. They were now in a dimly lit dungeon-like room. She sat propped against a stone wall with her hands tied in front of her. She panted from the pain and looked up at the thing that seemed to be real.

"I don't suppose you would like me to reveal my true self do you? I could explain why exactly I've decided to take your body for my own on another play date of course. That could give us more time to play now," it remarked thoughtfully. Jade whimpered at the thought of seeing this thing again. It glanced down at her and then grinned, revealing the sharp teeth again.

"We should get properly acquainted don't you think?" it inquired before fire blazed to life around its body. Jade jumped in shock and hurried to put distance between them by scooting away. When the flames finally died, a muscular being stood in the scorched spot. It stood to a height of six feet three inches and looked right at her. The only thing she could describe it as was a demon. Its red skin flexed over solid muscle. Wings were held back and out of the way. A spiked tail swished behind it. The feet were bent into animal like hind legs and tipped with lethal claws. The hands she had seen before but the face was new. It looked human enough but sported a bat like nose with pointy ears, pure black eyes, fangs, black horns curving from the head, and long pitch-black hair pulled back into a leather tie. It was dressed in the black pants but wore the trench coat over without a shirt. It bowed elegantly and then walked forward to drag her to her feet. Jade hissed in pain at the stretching skin of her wounded side and yanked away but it grabbed her roughly by the top of her arm, holding her close.

"The name is Straker, and I'm so glad I've found a body I could call mine," its deep voice stated. The breath reeked of sulfur and ash, making Jade cough.

"Until then Jadelyn West," it almost purred. His claws reached up to run down her face and then his lips were on hers, a snake-like tongue invading her mouth, and then her vision went black.

* * *

Jade practically threw herself out of bed in her rush to make it to the bathroom where she became violently sick. It felt like her body was trying in vain to purge a toxin she knew she couldn't get rid of. After flushing, she leaned back on the floor as a cold sweat broke out over her body. She felt so worn out she didn't even complain about the fact that she was sweating. A sharp pain in her side made her wince and she carefully pulled herself off the floor with the help of the counter. A look in the mirror reflected her face back at her. She was even paler than normal and shadows hung under her now dull blue-green eyes. She tentatively placed her fingers at the edge of her shirt and took a deep breath before pulling it up to reveal four vicious gashes carved into her skin. They didn't bleed but they still looked bad. She dropped her shirt back into place and leaned on the counter with her elbows, her head falling into her hands tiredly.

"It wasn't a dream," she whispered brokenly. She raised her gaze back to the mirror and her eyes were instantly drawn to the ring.

"The ring!" she gasped, suddenly understanding. She yanked on it for a full five minutes until her finger hurt. It felt like it was molded to her skin. No matter how hard she pulled, it only caused her pain. She growled, caught up in her frustration and anger. It went unnoticed as she returned to her room and slammed the door. The hinges creaked in protest. An overwhelming need to release her pent up fury arose in the form of her fist sinking into the wall behind her door. It easily crashed through and dust flew. As soon as the unknown rage appeared, it was gone, leaving her with a fist in the wall. She removed her hand slowly, examining the now bruised and dusty knuckles. She rubbed them but avoided looking at the damage done to the wall.

"What's happening to me?" she questioned herself. A cold wave washed over her just then and she hugged herself as if to keep her very being from falling apart. When the chilling cold passed she dragged herself over to her clock. It was six in the morning. No wonder her Dad wasn't up yet. He woke up at seven. Jade let her body sag to the floor and it was then when the tears finally came. She was emotionally and physically spent. There was no way she was going to school after this series of unexplained events.

As soon as she felt up to it, she hauled herself back to the bathroom to take a shower, brush her teeth to rid her mouth of sulfur and ash, and then bandaged the wound the best she could on her own. She shuddered when the demon Straker entered her mind as she dressed. If what happened wasn't a dream then was she to believe that that **thing** was dwelling somewhere inside her? Another shudder passed and she tore her thoughts away from such things. She curled up in bed, listening to her Dad finally wake up and get ready for the day. She was about to fall into unconsciousness when her door opened with a bang. She jumped but made no other move.

"Aren't you going to school? I had a buddy take me over to the car repair shop to get your car if you ever decide to get up," he told her. She listened with apathy and only became interested when he stopped on his way out.

"Oh, and your new friend is waiting outside," he stated, finally leaving. Jade frantically searched for her phone under her pillow. She text Tori to leave without her. She was sick today. Tori's answer was to slip in when Mr. West went out. He didn't bother with a proper greeting besides a grunt and a nod of his head. Jade heard Tori greet him with a happy good morning as she entered. Jade rolled her eyes. Steps on the stairs told her Tori was coming up. Her ability to pick up on the slightest sounds made her question herself again but it all blew away when Tori carefully came in. She spotted Jade curled up in bed, looking ragged, and an expression full of concern glued to her face.

"No need to look like that Vega. I'll be fine. I'm hoping it's just a passing bug," Jade told her tiredly. Tori sat at the edge of the bed.

"I'll get your homework for you. After school I'll swing by here to drop it off and if you're feeling better we can make more progress on the project. If not, you should get some sleep," she proposed. Jade only nodded, clinging to her comforter as pain sliced through her. Her injury was on her right side so she had to either lay on her back or on her left. She was currently on her left, gazing at Tori's understanding expression. Her brown eyes softened as she reached out and pushed a strand of Jade's hair out of her face.

"Make sure you get a lot of liquids and don't push yourself. Here, I'll open a window so you can get some fresh air and sun," she said, getting up to let the light in. Jade groaned and Tori laughed.

"Ok mother," Jade responded sarcastically. She rolled on her back to get a better view of Tori.

"Jade really, you need to get better," she responded with a slight downturn of her always smiling lips. Jade shook her head.

"Stop worrying about others all the time and take care of your own chiz. I'll be here when school's out," Jade told her with a tone of voice neither had heard since Jade and Tori's friendship improved. Jade felt a pang of guilt at the sad look Tori gave her but the brunette quickly cheered up even though it was clearly false and walked to the door.

"Yeah, I guess I'll just go then. See you later Jade," she said with downcast eyes. Dammit, why did Vega always have to look like a sad or lost puppy? Jade sighed and called to her.

"Hey Vega, have a good day. I'll be fine and waiting for you to get back," she said in a quiet tone of voice. Tori smiled and nodded. Jade asked her to take her work with her and Tori fished it at Jade's instruction. Tori glanced once more at Jade before leaving the room, shutting the door behind her. Jade groaned when she heard Tori's car start up and leave.

"Why are you so nice?" she wondered out loud. An answer presented itself which made her unhappier. There could be a possibility Tori liked her and that was great but the prospect of having a demon squatting in her thoughts wasn't helping things. She smiled, feeling like laughing until she realized it was a foreign feeling. It felt out of place and detached.

"Fuck you Straker," she cursed under her breath. The demon must have heard her because her side ached and she held a hand to it. Jade spent a long time in bed before deciding she should get something to eat. She opted for soup and then curled in her blankets to watch some TV. As much as she wanted to get into the movie she was watching, she couldn't. Her side was killing her by now. She went to the bathroom and removed the bandage to see the gashes were almost all the way healed.

"Impossible," she murmured, lightly running a hand over the injury. She glanced into the mirror and noticed her shadowy eyes cleared away and she looked better. A few hours later, and Jade was almost ready to break something out of boredom when there was a knock on the door. She let out a breath and got up to answer it. She dragged her big blanket with her. As soon as Jade saw who was behind the door she swung it open.

"Had fun on your day off school?" Tori asked as she walked in carrying her bag.

"How much?" Jade questioned. Tori seemed to know exactly what she meant.

"Well, it isn't impossible but you might want to sit down and start as soon as you can," Tori replied. Jade just waved her hand like she didn't care and turned to go back to her room. Tori followed just as Jade knew she would. Tori stayed with Jade until everything was covered, the prop needs were taken into account, and then she packed up her stuff. The whole time, Jade was working with not appearing hurt so as to not worry Tori or have her question about her injury.

"I'll see you tomorrow Jade. Hope you get better," Tori said with a small smile. Jade nodded and went back to stacking her textbooks on her desk. Before Tori could leave, Jade spoke up.

"Thanks Vega," Jade said just loud enough that Tori heard. She nodded happily.

"No problem. Anything for you," she replied. Before Jade could question her she was down the stairs and out the door. Jade allowed herself a small smile.


	4. Hello It's Mz Hyde!

**Sorry, been busy but here's another chapter!**

* * *

By the time it came close to getting dark, Jade was slowly becoming more and more restless. She couldn't eat, and everything she sat down to do she ended up getting back up to pace and then move on to something else. The anxiety didn't get better. In fact, it turned into frustration which then escalated to anger. She had no idea why she felt this way but she had a good guess. To avoid any confrontation once her dad returned, Jade kept herself confined in her room. The door slamming as it got later told Jade he was home. Her body tensed and then before she knew it she was getting dressed. She made her way downstairs once she was ready. Mr. West frowned and stopped her on the way out.

"Where are you going?" he questioned.

"And now suddenly you care what I do," she snapped at him.

"Yes, as your father I want to know where you're going. It getting late and I don't want you out," he shot back.

"You didn't seem to care when I came and went when you were out busy boozing it up with your pals," she retorted. Adrenaline shot through her when she saw she hit a nerve. She knew exactly why she was gearing for a fight. That damn demon would definitely be the death of her. The ring constricted on her finger as her dad grabbed her by the wrist when she tried to walk away. She flung his hand off and spun to face him.

"You have nothing to worry about. If I wanted to run away I would have already done it. If I wanted to get knocked up I would have already tried with Beck. If I wanted to party and get into drugs I would have already called up a guy I know. But guess what, I haven't, so put some fucking faith in me for once in your miserable life and let me leave this prison so I can hang out with people who care," she practically screamed. Mr. West's eyes widened and he released Jade as if the contact shocked him. She turned back to the door and stomped out, slamming it as she left. She pulled her keys from her pocket and unlocked her car. She slid in, started it up, and was tearing out of their driveway in record time. She turned on the radio and was greeted with a powerful guitar rift.

Her destination was set on Tori's place, knowing she would let her in at any time of the day, but a new thought seemed to spring from her mind out of nowhere. She took a sharp turn and headed into the city. She quickly found herself in a less than trustworthy area where she parked and walked straight for a club. How she even knew where she was, was a mystery to her but that cold chill told her otherwise. The guard at the door took one look into her glare and his refusal to let her in died on his lips. She pushed past him and inside. The music was almost painful to her now sensitive hearing but it didn't distract her. She let her nose guide her and her eyes scan for a potential…what? She sat at the bar, leveling a look at the bartender who rushed to get her something. A guy, maybe in his late twenties, came to sit by her. He had brown eyes, black hair, and a giant smile. He nudged her and laughed.

"Didn't think I would see any beautiful girls like you tonight," he stated in a drunken yet confident way. She could practically smell his desire and curled a lip in disgust. She still didn't know what she was doing here but Straker wanted her here for a reason, and when he wanted her to do something, she fought, but couldn't disobey.

"Really? How flattering. I thought I saw a woman over there way more good looking than myself," she replied in the same accent she used to bug Tori; her Judy Garland impression. He chuckled and shook his head.

"Nah, they aren't half as good looking," he disagreed.

"Well, in that case, why don't we get to know each other?" she said with an easy grin. He nodded excitedly and she took his hand to lead him to the bathrooms. She glanced around quickly before dragging him into the women's bathroom. As soon as they entered Jade cleared out the women with her glare and then shoved the guy inside a stall. She stepped in with him and locked it, his hands immediately pulling her against him. He was fast to crush his lips to hers as his hands roughly grabbed at her.

She felt wrong but at the same time she knew this couldn't be coincidence. He pushed her against the wall and continued exploring while her kisses drifted off his lips, across his jaw, and down his neck. Her hands clenched in his jacket just as his hands gripped her hips. She ignored the way he pressed himself into her and concentrated on the overwhelming need to bit into him. Fire came alive inside her, making her pant. He must have thought it was his doing because he groaned as his hands drifted lower. Her left hand that rested on his right shoulder tightened, making him tense. She pulled him closer and grabbed his wandering hand with her right. He froze as a growl rumbled from her.

"That's going too far," she warned, speaking more to the demon than the guy. To hell with Straker; she still had dignity. She knew by now exactly what he wanted. He was pushing her, weakening her, so that she couldn't stop the feeling that clawed at her from the inside. He cried out as his wrist broke under steel grip. Her left hand suddenly sunk through cloth, skin, muscle, and into bone. Her hands had shifted into claws. The guy yelped and tried to back off but she held on. The smell of his blood called to her. Her teeth bit into her lip in yearning, cutting into it easily. Her tongue moved to investigate the now sharp teeth and slightly longer canines in her mouth.

"Please, I-I didn't…don't hurt me," he whimpered. Jade smirked, looking into his fear clouded eyes to see her own red eyes staring back at her.

"It will be over soon," she told him dismissively. She lunged for his throat and tore. His body slammed into the stall wall behind him as she easily threw his body back. She held him there as she took her fill. She could hear Straker's cruel cold laugh echo in her head, making her ashamed and angry but she couldn't stop. An animalistic growl shook her frame, making her jaw tighten. A sickening crack followed as the force she was using shattered the guy's neck. She pulled away to inspect the damage which didn't disgust her at all. Her hands relaxed and the body crumpled to the floor. She was panting from the burst of adrenaline but otherwise she felt blissfully good. The feeling made her sick a few moments later.

She burst from the stall, ready to get out of there when she came face to face with a woman who had unfortunately walked in at that moment. Jade rushed at her and before she even knew what she was doing, she had grabbed the woman with one hand. With a push, she slammed her against the mirror behind her and leaned in. Glass shattered and pieces scattered across the floor. She attempted to scream but Jade held a hand over her mouth. Her eyes fell to the racing pulse in her neck before diving for it. The woman screamed but it was cut off the minute Jade added force. When she was done, she let the body slide to the floor before nonchalantly walking over to the sinks. She hated how she looked like her clone. That dark, twisted, sick side of her she had met in the rotting woods. She stared into her now red eyes lined with dark shadows while Straker appeared behind her. She spun around but he wasn't there. His laugh echoed.

"_I've got you under my thumb Jadelyn. It was so easy to kill two people wasn't it? It felt good didn't it? I know it did, I felt your pleasure," _he taunted with another laugh. Jade held her hands over her ears and whimpered.

"No, that was you. I'm not a monster," she ground out through clenched fangs.

"_Sure you aren't. We'll see when next the moon rises. Until then, see you in your sleep," _he replied with a grin. In a blink of an eye he was gone. Jade stared at her reflection, hating that he had such control. She let out a yell and slammed her fist down into the sink. The pain was nothing. The sink shattered under the force as water burst from the destroyed pipes. She was quickly washed of the blood and red stained the floor. Her throbbing, bruised, hands fell to her side. Noise beyond the door alerted her to more people coming in. A quick scan revealed a skylight on the ceiling. She leaped on top of the stalls and then jumped for the edge of the skylight. She managed to pull herself through and out just as the first screams pierced the air.

She glanced down to see women panicking and security rush in. She ran for the edge of the room and leaped over to another without fear. She landed easily and headed for her car. By time she reached it she was soaked to the bone. It had finally begun to rain. She plopped into her car and started it up but she stopped at that. Her emotions finally got the better of her and she finally broke down crying. She didn't start driving until she was sure she could. By the time she got home it was already one in the morning. Her adrenaline high left her tired and worn out. She dragged herself inside and collapsed on the couch, unable to walk another step. She fell into a deep sleep, Straker finding her moments later.

"How was your night?" he asked her like someone asking the time. Jade sat in a corner of the dungeon room, fighting the urge to cry again.

"Fuck you," she replied. He laughed.

"That sadly wouldn't work out well for you," he replied slyly. She gaged on the thought of doing anything with the demon.

"What did you do to me?" she questioned, close to losing her grip on her fury. Ever since Straker took up residence with her she was always so angry.

"I told you, I want your body. I'll slowly take over your mind until there's nothing left of you. Then, I'll be able to use your body as a disguise to live outside the devil's cage while your soul rots away," he responded happily.

"You lived in that ring. So the story was true," she said in disbelief.

"That old man never did want to believe. He lied when he said it was sold to him. It was **his** brother I had possessed. It was all going so well too until he killed himself. He got the better of me but I won't let that happen again. I mentally tortured the old man until he gave in a put the ring out for sale. I swear, he would have been a better pick but he knew better then to wear the ring. It only takes putting on the ring three times to get a more than perfect grip. I won't go down easily. I've lived in this ring for ages, waiting for one fool or another to wear it so I can walk free once more; and you're next. Get ready for a long rollercoaster ride Jadelyn," he chuckled. She shuddered.

"No, I won't let you win," she sneered, pulling out some of her temporarily lost attitude. She growled and surprised them both by launching at him. She managed to shred a wing with her own claws before he subdued her. He easily lifted her and threw her back down, slamming her into the stone beneath and cracking it. Her back protested at the force. A sharp pain ran through her spine and she laid there unable to move.

"Think twice before fighting me. I gave you those gifts and I can easily overcome them," he snarled, angry that she had caught him unaware. She scoffed at the idea that what he did to her was a gift. He kneeled down and reached out to hold her chin in his burning claws.

"I can see it might take a while to break you but I will. Every night I have control over you far more greater than when the light is out. Don't think I can't…persuade you even when the light is present though. Don't continue to resist me because I will find a way; even if I have to kill that no good Victoria Vega in the process. I'll make you do it of course," he threatened. Jade didn't miss the way he practically spat out Tori's name like it was some holy word that left a bad taste in his mouth. Jade smacked his claw away with a snarl.

"Leave Tori out of this," she retorted, leveling her suddenly fiery gaze with his. He smiled knowingly.

"Oh, I plan to include her in the fun you can be sure of that Jadelyn," he replied. He stood, dragging Jade with him.

"Knock 'em dead for me Mz. Hyde," he stated before pushing her over. She fell down into a dark void.

* * *

Jade jolted awake, falling off the couch in the process. A startled cry caught her attention as she sat up to see none other than Tori Vega. She groaned unintentionally which made Tori frown.

"I was worried about you. You weren't at school again. Are you ok?" she asked, a slight blush on her cheeks. Jade wanted to smile at that but her back registered more pain.

"Define ok," she replied, running a tired hand through her hair. Tori helped her to her feet. Once Jade was standing, she used Tori to keep herself up.

"Jade, you should get some more sleep," Tori commented.

"No, no more sleep. I can't take it. I have these intense nightmares," she replied, pushing away from Tori to find something to eat. She prayed to whoever was listening that she could still eat food.

"So you aren't sick just sleep deprived? I had come over to work on the project but if you still aren't feeling up to it we could-" she began while unpacking more papers for Jade, but the goth shook her head.

"No, we're wasting time. If it doesn't get better by tomorrow I want you to find someone else. I don't want you failing because of me," Jade admitted. Tori looked like she wanted to protest but she knew better.

"Ok, I should let you rest then. I brought you more work and I'll turn in your other homework for you," she offered. Jade told her where to find it and she headed up the stairs to get them. Jade held a hand up to cover her face. She sighed and then followed the brunette up the stairs. She stopped in the bathroom to brush her teeth and splash water on her face. By the time she looked into the mirror again she looked better. Just like before. Whatever wore her down when she confronted Straker, it seemed to heal itself in time. She sighed in relief at that and then began unrolling the bandage. The cuts were no longer present. She threw out the bandage, took one more look at herself and left the bathroom only to crash into Tori who was on her way back to the living room. Jade stumbled, taking Tori with her but she quickly switched places with her so that she crashed into the wall instead of Tori. They held on to each other, out of breath, and then they started laughing.

"Geez Vega, watch where you're going," Jade commented with a smile.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking," Tori replied shyly.

"Well obviously," Jade responded. Tori laughed nervously and then looked up at Jade who just realized that she was still in her arms and Tori's arms were around her middle. The half Latina leaned forward slightly and Jade moved to do the same but she stopped, knowing if she got in too deep now she would just be in more pain later.

"Tori…I-" she began but Tori, for the first time, decided she needed to do something if she ever wanted to get Jade's attention. She pressed their lips together, a hand moving to hold Jade in place. Jade was slightly surprised at the turn of events but she wasn't complaining, something Tori was glad for. Jade lost herself in Tori's soft kiss before pulling away with a smirk.

"Why Tori Vega, I didn't know you could be so bold," Jade stated in her Tori impersonation voice, a smirk accompanying it. Instead of replying with her usual 'I don't talk like that,' Tori laughed and shrugged, trying to keep down the rising blush.

"Maybe there is more to me than you realize?" she responded. Jade's smirk widened before leaning forward for another kiss that carried on longer than the last. When they finally broke apart they were smiling.

"I thought you didn't like me," Tori told the dark haired girl. Jade shook her head.

"I've liked you for some time now. Beck must have realized way sooner than me that I had feelings for you," she responded.

"Then wait, Beck knew this and he still tried to make a move on me?" Tori asked with wide eyes. Jade frowned, watching understanding wash over Tori's features.

"It doesn't matter anyway. Beck is Beck. He's my friend and nothing more. Something I've known since meeting you," Tori confessed. Jade looked at her questioningly before putting it together.

"You were never going for Beck were you?" Jade asked. Tori shook her head. All this time she was trying to get Jade's attention instead of Beck's.

"But I've been such a gank to you," Jade replied with downcast eyes. Tori shrugged.

"It made me try harder," she responded quietly. Jade laughed and nodded.

"I'm glad you did or else I don't think I would have realized my own feelings," she confessed. Jade pulled her into a hug Tori had been dying to give her for so long. When they parted, Jade told her she would see her in school tomorrow and they would work on the play after. Tori agreed and left Jade to her empty house. She returned to her room, silently vowing to herself she wouldn't let Straker get the better of her. She would fight back for Tori's sake as well as her own.


	5. Bad As Can Be, I'm Not So Innocent

As hard as she tried, Jade could not let herself sleep. She admitted to herself that she didn't want to see Straker. Her transformation however did not stop. As soon as it was dark, she locked herself in her room to deny Straker another chance to make her kill another innocent. Instead, he settled for forcing her to bite and claw at herself. It was still all wrong for her. The bad kind of pain felt good and blood just didn't seem cool anymore, it was edible. She sat on the floor at the foot of her bed now. She ran her tongue over a recently open bite and then let out a growl when someone knocked on the door.

"Jade, get down here and eat. I haven't seen you eat much since you've been losing sleep," her dad yelled through the door. He banged on it once and she snarled but made no movement to get up. The lock on her door would keep him out. As much as she didn't like her dad, she didn't want to sink her newly acquired teeth or claws into him either.

"Go away!" she yelled back, her lips lifting to bare her teeth. He tried a few more times before launching into a rant that left with him. She held her head in her hands turned claws and groaned. She was starving, and no matter how much she didn't want to it to be true, she was craving the taste of flesh and blood. She whined and jumped to her feet in frustration. She tore through her room as the fury within pushed her to her limits. Her dresser and desk were tossed over, deep grooves from her claws marking them. She ripped her bed apart, tossed her lamp at the wall, and dragged her claws across them as well. She stalked over to the shelf full of her various collectibles in the corner only to stop, frozen in her tracks. A picture of her group of friends sat on it. It was one of the few pictures where she was actually smiling. She forced Shinjin to take it so they could all be in it. Trina even managed to squeeze in when she realized what they were doing.

"I have to stop this," she whispered to herself. The sound of her warped voice made her grimace. She carefully reached out and ran a claw down the picture before turning to climb in the now ruined bed. She was suddenly determined to beat Straker. In minutes, she calmed herself enough to fall into sleep.

* * *

Jade stood in the dungeon once again, a fierce frown on her face and her arms crossed.

"Now that's more like it," Straker said as he stepped from the shadows. Jade turned to him.

"I'll fight you for my freedom," she told him with a steady voice even though she was afraid of what might happen. He laughed mockingly.

"I should warn you. You didn't get anything to eat. Your energy will be low and you won't heal as fast from the injuries I'm sure to give you," he taunted. She scoffed, going into an offensive crouch.

"Try me," she growled. He roared and leaped at her without warning, slamming her back into the wall. It crumbled a little under the impact but they kept fighting. He lashed at her, missing and digging easily into stone. While he was distracted she dug her own claws in his neck. He snarled and threw her aside. She fell into a roll and stood back up.

"Don't try my patience girl. If I wasn't using you I would have killed you by now," he stated.

"Maybe I'll push you enough to kill me then. It's better than this," she retorted. He bared his teeth and came at her again. He managed to land a hit to her back and arm before tripping her, grabbing her by the leg while she was down, and then tossing her at the wall. Something cracked and she cried out in pain. She spent a few quick breaths on the floor and then forced herself up. Straker slammed a fist into the side of her jaw and she tumbled back to lean on the wall behind her. She spat blood and laughed. "I can't believe that's all you got," she mocked. A rumbling growl was her answer. He stalked closer, his tail whipping behind him.

"I won't let you die. I've come too far to lose control. But if its torture you want, I can do that," he told her threateningly. His tail shot out and whipped across her leg, cutting into skin and making that leg buckle under her. Before she could fall, his tail shot out again to wrap around her throat. He lifted her off the floor while she clawed at his tail for breath. The sharp barb dug into her shoulder regardless of the many times her claws pierced his skin. She started gasping and he laughed.

"You will learn in time I always get what I want. As for you, I think I'll take everything from you. Remind me to pay a visit to Victoria Vega. I'm sure she will be glad to see you," he teased. Jade growled, maneuvering herself enough to sink her teeth into him. She tossed her head until she tore deep and he screamed in fury. He let her go and she sucked in much needed air then spat the overly metal tasting blood out. She forced herself back into action, dodging his swing and getting behind him. She wasted no time ripping into his strong but delicate wings. He screeched and kicked back, throwing her to the hard floor.

"You bitch!" he roared. He advanced on all fours and pounced on her. His claws dug into her shoulder to press her to the unforgiving floor. A claw rose to jerk her head to the side, exposing her neck.

"You'll pay for damaging my wings," he hissed. His black irises suddenly glowed red so that a ring of red floated in the inky black. His mouth opened to show a full view of his rows of sharp teeth.

"I'm going to enjoy this," he said with a smirk. She pushed at his arms futilely as he leaned in and licked her neck.

"Good luck recovering," he whispered in her ear. Then there was pain. She refused to let him hear the cry welling up inside her and instead dug her claws into his arms to ride it out. He moaned into her skin, pulled away, and then sunk his teeth in her side. His claws moved to run under her shirt. He dug them into her hip and she winced. They traced back down to her legs and then tugged down so that she was closer and forced against him. A twisted smirk lit his features which made Jade sick. His claw reached toward her body but stopped suddenly. He hissed and pulled away. The sun was glaring through the bars of the dungeon. He roared and retreated to the darkness in the corner. Jade stayed put on the ground, glad to have not been raped on top of tortured. She shuddered in disgust. She could only hope for a better shot at beating him the next time she tried. As much as she didn't want to anger him again, she still couldn't resist taunting him.

"Scared of a little light?" she spat at him tiredly, her trademark smirk unfailing. She got a growl in return.

"Get out," he grumbled. He let out a heavy breath which shot smoke and fire. Jade laughed and then finally passed out.

* * *

She woke up on her torn bed and whimpered when she made a move to get up. Her body felt like she had been run over by a bus. Now she regretted telling everyone that happened to anger her to throw themselves under a bus. She slowly sat up and pressed a hand to the bite on her shoulder. It hurt the most. She managed to stand and slowly make her way into the bathroom. As before when she was injured, the wound didn't bleed but a close inspection of it in the mirror showed it was bruised around the edges.

"Fuck," she cursed, bending down to retrieve the last roll of bandages from under the sink, the movement upsetting the pain. She set it aside and the jumped in the shower to wash off traces of filth only she felt. When she got out she began to wrap the bandage diagonally across her torso so that it covered the bite on her shoulder. Her leg was next and then her arm. Any remaining was used to cover the rest of her torso so that the cuts on her back and bite on her stomach were covered. Once she was all patched up, she flipped off the lights and tiredly sat on the floor. Silent tears fell and she wiped them away.

"Don't give up. Tori is expecting you," she whispered, trying to give herself support. Speaking of Tori only made her want to hug the half Latina close and pretend none of this was happening. She sighed and then finally got up to get out of her pajamas and into school clothes. She had woken up early again so she had time to eat, grab some much needed coffee and then head out to her car. Tori knew she had her car now and was waiting for her at school. Her phone went off and she pulled it out of her pocket to see Tori sent her a text.

'If you don't feel up to it, stay home and get some sleep. If not, I'll see you soon.'

Jade smiled and got in her car. Hopefully her make up job prevented most of the bruise from showing on her jaw. The worst anyone would assume was the possibility that her dad beat her which she didn't care about. No, it was the fact that **she **knew what happened and didn't want to be seen with such marks. She started up her car and backed out onto the road. She took a deep breath and a sip of coffee before driving to school for the first time in two days. Upon walking into school, Jade went straight for her locker. Tori stood leaning against it, waiting for her. The sight of her made Jade want to cry. She really liked the tanned, brown eyed, half Latina but she couldn't help but feel she should back off until her situation sorted out. But she just couldn't stay away. The ring tightened and heated up, signaling that Straker knew very much how she felt.

"Vega, how's it going?" she greeted, trying to keep the fatigue from her tone. She must have failed because Tori frowned.

"You sure you're ok?" she asked, hesitating before taking her hand. Jade sighed as Tori rubbed softly across her knuckles. She didn't pull away when she noticed passing students staring at them.

"I'm as fine as I'm going to be. I'm just going to get this over with so I don't fall behind. After all, we still need to work on our project. We only have a few more days left," she pointed out. Tori nodded and didn't release Jade's hand when she moved to open her own locker. Cat suddenly ran up and started jumping in place. Jade watched her out of the corner of her eye, waiting for the hyper girl to say something. When she didn't, Jade sighed.

"What?" she almost yelled at the red head. It still held some irritation but not much. Cat must have gotten into some candy today because it didn't slow her down.

"Hey Jade! You're back, yay!" she squealed as she ran up to embrace Jade and Tori, who only became aware of the hyper active red head when Jade spoke up. Jade flinched and her breath hitched but she covered it with a gasp. Hell that hurt.

"Whoa dude calm down, you startled me attacking like that," Jade told her. Cat laughed and let them go.

"Nonsense Jade, you never get scared," Cat replied. Jade couldn't agree with her but she retorted anyway.

"I didn't say scared, I said startled. They're different," she explained. Cat just laughed and Tori smiled. Jade rolled her eyes, waited for Tori to close her locker, and then followed Cat and Tori to the class they shared. Jade waited for Cat to walk in first and then snuck a peck on Tori's cheek before leaving her at the door. She barely made it into her own class. The teacher greeted her but said nothing more. The slant up of his eyebrows told Jade he understood. The day seemed to drag for Jade after that. She was so tired she let her head rest on Tori's shoulder through lunch and Sikowitz's class. She only woke up when Tori prodded her arm. She groaned, as it was the injured one, but Tori just thought she didn't want to wake up.

"Come on Jade," she called softly to her. Beck walked up and ruffled her hair and she was up, slapping his hand away. He smirked at her but she just huffed.

"See you around," he told them as he left. Was it just her or Beck seemed to be in a better mood? Figures he would when she wasn't. They never did have a day when they were both happy. Andre gave them a farewell as he followed Beck out. Cat and Robbie with Rex were the only ones left but they were talking to Sikowitz.

"You know, he missed your comments when you were gone as well as today," Tori spoke up.

"Who?" she asked, hoping she didn't mean Beck.

"Sikowitz, he kept calling on you then realized you fell asleep and moved on. Secretly, I think we all love to hear what you have to say," she teased the goth. Jade smirked.

"I bet **you** do," she responded with a smile that made Tori blush slightly. The ring came alive at that moment and suddenly Jade was up, tugging Tori to follow her. She led her straight for the janitor's closet, closing it quickly and locking it. Jade could feel the overwhelming heat in the ring as well as the crazy impulse to get as close to Tori as possible. Her desire must have shown in her gaze because Tori's blush grew but her own eyes showed the same. Jade stepped closer and backed Tori against the wall. She went in for a kiss before lowering her mouth to the sensitive skin of her neck. Tori groaned when she carefully nipped the skin down to her shoulder. The sound made Jade press her body closer. She bit into Tori's shoulder, making her back arch under Jade's as a moan slid out of her. She sucked on the skin until she left a mark and then ran her tongue over it soothingly.

She had no idea Vega liked it rough. Tori was breathing hard but she wasn't done. She switched them quickly so that Jade was against the wall. Her hands slid under her shirt to caress the soft skin under, only grazing under the edge of her jeans when she came back down. Tori's lips met hers again and the kiss quickly deepened as their tongues met. Jade's hands tightened on Tori's waist, pulling her closer. She wanted Tori bad at that point but another need presented itself and that alone made her force herself to calm down. Straker made himself known in the form of a single thought; attack while she's vulnerable. Jade pulled away from the kiss and nuzzled Tori's neck. She couldn't help the thoughts running in her head. She knew if she bit into her now, sharp teeth would meet soft flesh, leaving a more deadly mark. She struggled against it and then raised her lips to Tori's ear.

"Tori…we have to stop. I…," she trailed off, not knowing what to say. Tori leaned back to look at her and she hoped her eyes hadn't changed just yet.

"Yeah, we should stop," she agreed, almost out of breath. She leaned in for a short kiss and then stepped away, slipping out of Jade's arms and dropping her own from around the goth's hips. The space was enough to clear Jade's head and she sighed, hoping it was enough to keep Straker at bay. She may have won this battle but the war wasn't over.

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**I have recently thought up a new Victorious fic. I'm excited to get it going but I need some encouragement in way of reviews...Please? If I get enough I'll hurry and start that fic on top of this one. I can guarantee it's something new.**


	6. Better Be Scared, Better Be Afraid

**I'm proud with how this one turned out. I'm hoping it will throw you for a loop. Start reading. Go ahead, it will be fun I promise. Don't forget to leave a review. Enjoy!**

* * *

They both took time to calm down and breathe before attempting to speak. Jade could feel Straker's fury through the ring. Her hands clenched and she kept her body against the wall.

"Do you think we could save working on the project until tomorrow?" Jade asked cautiously. Her stormy gaze flicked up to look at the still flushed Tori who only nodded, tucking a lock of hair to keep herself busy.

"Jade…," Tori suddenly spoke up. Jade gave Tori her attention without a second thought.

"What are we?" Tori asked her with a curious tilt of her head. Jade took a few second to think before answering.

"I like you Vega, it's just…," she began, trying to find a way to tell Tori it couldn't work but then she decided it could. Her thought process fought itself, she wanted to be with Tori but Straker would most likely kill her. Her indecision made Tori question whether Jade really did like her at all or was maybe unwilling to openly date her. She opened her mouth to tell Jade it was ok when Jade cut her off.

"Would you go out with me?" she asked her quietly. Tori closed her mouth, one of her famous grins appearing. The same bright smile Jade herself loved but didn't want to admit she did until now. It was the reason Jade liked to shoot her down when she was happy so it would disappear, but now, she was more than glad to see it.

"I'd like that," she replied. Jade allowed a smile as she pushed off the wall to pull her old frenemy, now girlfriend, into her arms. She silently hoped she could get rid of Straker soon and nothing bad would come of her decision to let Tori closer. After Jade and Tori said their goodbyes in the parking lot, they shared a quick kiss and then went home. Jade was a little more than apprehensive once she got home. Her Dad must have felt her turmoil because for once he steered clear of her. Something didn't feel right to him so he left his daughter to her own devices in favor of spending his rare day off out of the house. He refused to let that feeling of fear tell him something dangerous was near. It was stupid to think Jade had that kind of power over him. As soon as the door shut, Jade laid out on her bed for a few minutes, just trying to calm herself. Then she got up to get some of her work done. Her dad returned home to an empty house. Jade was out of the house as soon as night fell.

* * *

She was far from in control now that Straker was stronger. As much as she tried to steady herself, she was too flustered over her close encounter with Tori. Straker took advantage of that as soon as he could. Now, she found herself walking down an otherwise dangerous street had she not had the potential of a power hungry, murderous demon flowing through her. She raised her head to the wind and took in a breath. She let it out slowly and smiled. There was someone nearby all right. She darted through an alley to come out to approach the man leaning against the wall of the opening of the alley. He let out a puff of smoke from his cigarette. Jade's nose twitched at the smell and she waved the air to get rid of it. It was not a pleasant smell to have in her over sensitive nose. She began stalking forward, her claws held at the ready and her teeth bared.

"What do you want?" the man suddenly said, making her freeze. A small sound came to her and she realized it was a voice. It was then she realized the man was talking on the phone.

"Fuck, just go wait in your car. I'll be there. Don't drive, I don't want you landing in jail for something as stupid a DUI," the man sneered. He hung up and pocketed the phone.

"Stupid," he muttered, taking a long drag and then throwing the cancer stick to the concrete to crush it under his shoe. Jade waited for him to fully pass her hiding spot before she snagged him from behind and slammed him against the wall inside the alley. He screamed at the sight of a mouth full of sharp teeth and claws digging into his shoulders. Jade slapped a claw over his mouth with a growl.

"Shut up or I'll make it hurt much worse," she snarled in warning. He nodded hastily. She removed her claw, fighting the urge to tear into him like an animal.

"_Kill him. Don't let him run free. I want to see him murdered at your hands," _Straker suddenly hissed in her ear. She flinched at the voice, tightening her hold on the man who was shaking at this point. She just wanted to knock him out and take what she needed then let him live. She couldn't kill another person. As she struggled, the man started eyeing her, looking for a way out. He suddenly struck, slamming a fist in her stomach. She staggered back into the opposite wall but gained stability quickly. She easily caught him again but this time she threw him to the ground of the alley harshly. An angered growl made Straker laugh. She was pissed. Here she was, trying to be nice and he hits her. She knew she was overreacting but her restraint was slipping. She was so hungry. She pounced on her prey and held his arms down.

"_He doesn't deserve to live. Humans are natural backstabbers. They should be bowing to you. Worshipping the very ground you stand on. Instead, they cower in fear. End his miserable existence," _he persuaded smoothly. Jade shook her head, trying to rid herself of the urge to kill again but it wouldn't go away. She wished she could show the defenseless man how sorry she was but the only emotion that shone through was the anger and hunger. She pushed his head to the side so she could see the racing pulse in his neck and then she struck. He cried out but his voice quickly died. She stood when she was done and looked down at the body. It scared her when she felt nothing. Her mind was disconnected somehow. Straker was beyond pleased. Jade heard a passing car and darted away.

"_You did good Jadelyn," _Straker praised. She only snarled her disagreement. He laughed, and just like that, he disappeared from her mind. Jade didn't stop running until she made it into her backyard. She jumped the fence easily and landed with grace on the other side. Her Dad was already in bed by the time she entered so she tread carefully to her room. She really didn't want to sleep so she busied herself with reading until she had to get ready for school. She got ready quickly and drove to school, hoping Tori would make her feel better. She got to school late so there was no one in the halls, no one except Tori who waited by her locker. Jade smiled and ran up to her. Tori turned around with a look Jade had never seen on the happy half Latina. It was unbridled anger.

"Jade, we can't do this," she practically spat. Jade looked on, confused.

"What? But I thought-" she began. Tori cut her off with a shove that surprisingly set Jade off.

"Don't you understand? I can't date you! Do you know what people will say? Get away from me Jade West," she stated. Jade was stunned to say the least. She stood there, pain and hurt radiating from her heart. Anger soon rose in its place as she watched Tori walk away.

"_You see, she hates you. She knows the monster you are. Why would she want to even be with someone who openly despised her? She has a reputation to uphold doesn't she?" _Straker spoke up. Jade snarled, trying to ignore him. Tori was just about to turn the corner.

"_She doesn't love you so you shouldn't feel bad putting her out of her misery," _he suggested. The fury in her grew until, without thinking, she pushed herself into motion and tore down the hall. Her hands curled into claws and she gritted her sharp teeth. Her eyes focused on the only person she had felt close to. The person who made her feel more than Beck. The person who shattered her heart. She leaped at Tori, flooring her, and then tearing into her neck with her teeth. By the time her head cleared, she realized what she did. She fell to her knees and shakily reached out to gather Tori's body in her arms. Tears ran down her face, a terrible sadness twisting at her insides. Before she could let out a sob, she heard the most joyful but cruel laugh.

"Straker," she snarled. She set Tori down and got to her feet to see the demon smirking at her. He looked odd standing in the hall of her school.

"_Well done Jadelyn. I knew you could do it. The bitch deserved it," _he said with a few claps. Jade was just about to fly into another rage induced fight she knew she would lose when she suddenly realized exactly what Straker was doing. She looked to the demon and then back to Tori and grinned in complete relief.

"Did you think I wouldn't catch on?" she asked him with a smirk. His joy filled stare quickly grew icy when he caught on to what she meant. He frowned, snapping his fingers to make their surroundings waver and then dissipate like smoke so that they stood in the dark dungeon again.

"What gave me away?" he asked, barely keeping in his anger. Jade circled him triumphantly before answering.

"You can't stand plainly in the real world. You either speak to me through my thoughts or at best alter reality through mirrors," she replied. He glared at her hatefully.

"It isn't my fault you fucked up," Jade said, loving the turn of events that allowed her to smugly rub in his failure. She was so happy she was sure he wouldn't be able to get to her for the rest of his visit.

"I **will **make you kill her. You already showed you're capable if I break you enough," he pointed out. Jade only shrugged.

"How do I know my reaction wasn't influenced by you? I'm not so sure you could do the same in the real world. This is your playground after all," she responded calmly with crossed arms and a knowing smirk. He roared and jumped at her so quick she was too late to dodge. He slammed her into the floor, which gave way under the force so that she fell through a void and into darkness.

* * *

Jade jumped awake, tossing the book she held across the room in her haste. She looked around her room, her eyes looking for anything amiss. She let out a deep breath and calmed herself before sliding off her bed. That was a little too close for comfort. She should have known as soon as Tori yelled those hurtful words at her that it was all a fake but she wasn't thinking. He manipulated everything again just as he had done the first time she met him. She checked her clock to see she really was running late for school. She rushed to take a shower, noting all the healed but scared skin of her body. As she got dressed she repeated her mantra of never letting him get the best of her again and no matter what Tori says today, she would walk away under control.

She arrived at Hollywood Arts and walked in as nonchalantly as she could. She must have barely missed her first period because people were in the middle of changing classes. Her emotions couldn't settle so when she spotted Tori talking to Andre, she immediately felt the need to wrap her in her arms and never let go. She sped up, ready to do just that, but she skid to a stop when it came to her attention that Tori might not want their relationship out in public yet. She was stuck between decisions when Tori looked up and their eyes met. Whatever Andre was saying was instantly lost on Tori. Jade smirked and started forward at an easy pace.

"Oh hey Jade," Andre greeted.

"Hey Andre, do you mind if I borrow Tori real quick?" she asked the musician, a hint of hesitation in her voice. Andre, in his own weird way, must have understood the importance of talking to Tori because he nodded.

"Sure. I'll see you two in class," he said. He waved and walked away. By now, the hall was clearing out. Tori turned to Jade with a bright smile.

"Hey you; I'm glad you showed up. I thought you weren't going to come," Tori said casually. Jade smirked and pulled her into a hug, leaning close to whisper in her ear.

"Maybe not today Vega, but play your cards right and maybe I will," she told her softly, her hand moving to skim the exposed skin between Tori's shirt and pants. Tori bit her lip and chuckled, playfully smacking Jade's arm.

"Wow, never thought I'd expect that from you but I'm not opposed to the idea. Just not in the hall West," she replied, easily following along. Jade laughed at her using her last name and intertwined their hands together.

"Let's get to class. I'm late as it is," Jade replied. They walked off and Tori didn't let her hand go even when they passed a group of students. If anything, she held on tighter. The rest of the day Jade had eyes only for Tori. At lunch, she toned it down for the group to figure out on their own. Yes, she acted way nicer to Tori but that was it. Beck had a knowing smile, Andre kept giving Tori confused glances, Cat smiled at them, and Robbie fought with Rex when the puppet suggested something was going on between the two girls.

He blushed and denied such a thing only for Rex to point out things until Robbie shoved the offending puppet in his backpack and apologized. Tori kept telling him it was ok but he wouldn't listen and Jade didn't speak up because she enjoyed watching Robbie squirm and stammer to correct his mistake when in reality he wasn't wrong. At the end of the day, Jade and Tori left together and walked out to the parking lot. They parted at Tori's car which was closer and met up at Jade's house. In a few hours, Tori and Jade had her house set up for filming despite the frequent stops when they ended up kissing or playfully fighting. They were also interrupted once by a text from Tori's mom asking when she would be home.

"I think we should start filming. If we set the camera at this angle over the TV we can set the stage going from the stairs to the back door. We can get all those scenes done and then start on any others that involve other rooms," Tori explained, a smile on her face. Jade followed her plan without complaint and they got started. Jade would of course be the creature stalking Tori. She didn't like the idea at all now, seeing as it was too close to true. The time passed as they worked and finally they were at the most important scene. Tori would pass the camera on her way to the back door. Jade would follow in the shadows until they were both outside. That was when they would pretend Tori was mauled. The sound would set the imagination while they didn't have to show anything.

"Ok so I'm going to push record. Stand by the stairs," Jade instructed, feeling uncomfortable. She was slowly getting anxious and she knew why. It was getting dark. They had to wrap this up quick. She hit the record button and slinked off to get in position. Tori began her hesitant walk across the dark living room. A feeling of coldness swept through Jade, muting her happiness and making her worry. She briefly wondered if this was a good idea at all. She could feel Straker waiting for an opportune moment to strike. Tori called out to the dark as she was supposed to but Jade couldn't move. What would happen if she did crack and something really did happen during shooting? She pushed the uncertain thoughts away and began stalking forward.

Tori was so close now. She could feel the girl's body warmth as she neared. The ring suddenly flared making her growl in slight pain. Before she could stop herself, a force shoved her forward so that she slammed Tori roughly against the wall. She gasped and froze, pinned under Jade. Now would have been when they cut so that they could slowly transform her, but instead this happened. She knew the mauling had to take place off camera and the transformation wasn't supposed to be real but it was all happening. Jade caught one smell of Tori and pinned the girl to the wall by her arms. Tori watched her in confusion and slight concern.

There it was; the night had finally fallen. She snarled, baring her now sharp teeth at Tori. For the most part, Tori looked absolutely terrified. Her gut was telling her to run as fast as she could but she couldn't move. Jade wanted to pull away but Straker forced her sensitive nose close to Tori's neck and she was instantly lost in her scent. Tori whimpered. Jade looked up at the trembling girl. She leaned in to kiss her softly and then pressed a kiss to the pulse in her neck. Tori whimpered when Jade licked the soft skin there. Her teeth were ready to follow when she finally got a hold on herself. She pushed the dark force away from her the best she could and then reached out to hold Tori's chin gently in her now clawed hand.

"Run," she advised her. To her surprise, Tori shook her head.

"No, I'm staying to help you," she responded, her determined tone shaking.

"You don't know what you're getting into. I didn't mean for this to happen….," Jade told her, closing her eyes to avoid the soft brown ones in front of her. She pushed away and ran for the stairs, mentally kicking herself for losing track of time. Tori almost crumpled to the floor from the mix of emotions running through her but she forced herself to stay standing and chase after Jade. She didn't know what was going on. All she knew was that Jade needed her.

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**Ok so how many seriously thought for at least a second that Jade killed Tori? Hopefully I managed to trick some of you if not you are too sharp for me...sharp like scissors. Anyways hope it was a good twist. Reviews are always appreciated.**


	7. You Don't Know Me, Soon You Won't Forget

**Almost done here. I think there will be one or two more chapters. For those of you who plan to review don't forget to express interest in another strange Victorious fic, that is, unless you already expressed your interest. So I'll look into that once I'm done with this one. Heck, maybe on the last chapter of this story I'll include a sneak peek for anyone interested. Enjoy!**

* * *

Tori caught up to Jade just as the raven haired girl made it to her room and attempted to slam the door. Tori bolted to stop her just in time. Jade saw her place herself between the door and the force behind it to stop it from hitting her.

"Jade, what's going on?" Tori demanded, still trying to force herself in the room. Jade kept her out with a solid hold on the door.

"Leave me alone," she demanded with a threatening snarl. Tori froze momentarily but jumped back into action once again. She wasn't letting her go without an explanation as to why this was happening.

"Vega, move," she growled, glaring at her.

"Jade, I know you don't like letting people in, but now is not the time to keep me out. You need help and I just want to help you," she exclaimed desperately. Jade watched her with sad, stormy, blue-green eyes. She was still holding the door, afraid to let the worried half Latina in; not only into her room, but into her heart. Tori saw her trying to work out the conflict. A few seconds later she backed away from the door and let her in. Tori pushed the door open and stood in the doorway curiously. Jade was definitely different and so was her room. It was trashed and littered with claw marks that made her uneasy. Warning bells went off in her head but she ignored them. Tori knew she would handle the transformation make-up but this was something else. Jade looked away first; when she told Tori she would handle the transformation, this wasn't what she meant.

"Jade…" Tori spoke up carefully. She began moving forward but Jade kept putting distance between them. Her frame trembled slightly under the stress of keeping herself from falling under Straker's control.

"Tori, I think it's better if you come back tomorrow. I-I can't handle this right now," she whispered. Tori never saw Jade as vulnerable as she did now; not even when she broke up with Beck or realized she was sweating for the first time. She moved forward again like she was trying to corner a scared animal. She didn't know how close to the truth that was.

"I just want to help you," Tori said quietly. She finally got close enough and reached out to hold her hand. Jade squeezed her eyes shut from the pain radiating from the ring. She pulled Tori into her arms and held her close.

"You don't know what you're getting into," Jade whispered again.

"It doesn't matter. I'm here for you," Tori replied. She didn't understand but she still wanted to do whatever she could to help.

"Damn it Vega. You just never know when to stop," Jade said with a small humorless laugh and a shake of her head. Tori took note of the strange cadence of Jade's voice and shivered. It sounded so full of desire and pain. Tori tightened her hold regardless and felt the gesture reciprocated. She took her chance and jumped.

"I love you," she said under her breath. Jade must have heard because her body tensed. Straker was furious. The ring made her hand feel like it was melting under the heat even though visually it wasn't doing a thing. Her claws subconsciously flexed into the skin of the girl she held. Tori yelped in surprise.

"Jade?" she inquired. Jade was starting to breath heavily. She tipped Tori's head back so she could look into her eyes. Tori gasped when she saw Jade's red irises. They were so different than her blue-green that it stopped Tori in her tracks.

"W-what happened to you?" she questioned, her fear finally getting the best of her. Jade felt her fingers tighten in hers.

"The ring," Jade responded, like it explained everything; which it did. Tori shook her head, not understanding. Jade sighed and held out her hand baring the ring. The red was just as blood red as her eyes and glowed. Tori gasped.

"You've been acting weird since that ring," she commented. Suddenly, realization struck.

"You only liked me because of the ring right?" she accused, her voice portraying the onset of hurt. Jade frowned.

"No, I've always liked you Tori I just treated you the way I did because I was in denial. This situation has nothing to do with how I feel. It just complicates it," she admitted. Tori looked relieved until she heard the last few words.

"Complicate? Jade, please tell me what's going on," she demanded, using the tone she rarely used when she meant business. Jade began to explain when the ring constricted on her finger, warning her not to continue. She growled and released Tori's hand to hold her own.

"He wants me to hurt you," Jade said almost too quietly for the other girl to hear.

"Who?" Tori asked, grabbing a hold of Jade's upper arms in anxiety.

"His name is Straker. He's a demon who possesses anyone who wears his ring. Every night he makes me…he…," she said through the pain. Tori looked completely confused. Jade groaned and pulled away from her, holding her head as Straker invaded her mind.

"Run Tori. You're in danger here," she snarled through her sharpening teeth. She pushed Tori away and she stumbled back, almost falling.

"Jade?" she whimpered. A growl was her response. The next thing Tori saw was Jade stalking toward her and couldn't help but think their short film just became reality. Tears came to her eyes before she bolted out of the room. She took the stairs two at a time and ran for the front door. She fumbled with the lock which cost her. Jade caught up to her and yanked her back. Her claws tore her shirt and cut into her arm. She gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and pulled away. The nails dragged through her flesh but she was free.

She finally got the door open and dashed for her car. Jade suddenly slammed into her, making them both crash into the side of her car. Teeth snapped at her neck just inches from actually causing any damage but she managed to get out of the way in time. Tori pushed her away with a kick that made her stumble but that was all the time she needed. She got in her car, locked the doors, and then turned to start the car. A claw shattered the glass and she screamed. It took a wild swipe that nicked her cheek. The car started and she flew into reverse. An angry snarl was the last thing she heard as she got away. It was then that Straker relented his hold on Jade and she fell to her knees in the driveway.

"You bastard," she gasped, out of breath from the sudden adrenaline high. She picked herself up and quickly returned inside. An alluring smell caught her attention when she shut the door. She lifted her claw to see Tori's blood. Her eyes widened and she wasted no time tasting it. She moaned and then felt thoroughly disgusted with herself. She almost killed Tori. Straker almost got what he wanted and Jade couldn't do anything about it. She clenched her hands in rage. When she looked up she spotted the camera on the TV. She walked over to turn it off and as normal or unimportant as it sounded, she would edit what they filmed so the project would be done. She set it on a nearby shelf and stared at it, wishing she could have realized her feelings for Tori earlier. Maybe then they would have had time together before this happened.

She tried in vain to remove the ring again but it wouldn't let go. The sound of her dad's car pulled up and she ran for the back door without hesitation. She sprinted across her backyard and launched over the fence. She knew another innocent victim would soon feel her teeth in his or her throat but strangely, that wasn't what worried her most. What worried her was the inevitable fact that Tori would return. She knew Tori would not abandon her even if she was in danger of dying. That was just simply who she was. Jade blocked out anymore thoughts and reluctantly let Straker have control. There was no point fighting it. She would overcome him in the end, because she had to.

* * *

Jade woke up outside under a giant tree. The springy grass under her comforted her worn body. She was still healing of course but she felt better and knew why. She couldn't help tearing into the teens taking a walk to the movies. She didn't let herself think past that. In the end, their own parents wouldn't be able to recognize them. Straker was far more violent this time around. She knew it had to do with Tori. In her sleep she was surprisingly not beaten but congratulated for letting go and giving him control. He left her alone until she woke up. She sat up with a disgusted groan and took in her surroundings. She was in the park not too far from her house. She got to her feet, inspecting her blood splattered clothes. It was the first time she was marked with the remnants of her nightly run.

A shiver ran down her spine and then she began to make her way home, careful to avoid being seen. She arrived home through the back door and went straight to the bathroom. After a shower and a change of clothes, Jade sat down and put the scenes together. The one good thing to come out of last night was that they got very believable footage, which was believable because it was entirely real. She cut out anything the camera picked up on their conversation and replaced it with suspenseful music. After that was done, she sat on the couch and silently came up with plans to stop Straker. It didn't help that she knew he was mocking every idea she came up with. She didn't know how long she sat there but a knock on the door snapped her from her trance. She left her room and went to open the door without a second thought.

"Jade, let me in," Beck called through the door. She froze with her hand on the handle.

"Jade please," Tori joined in nervously. For a second, Straker's whispers of them backstabbing her made her skittish as a cornered wolf, but she ignored him and opened the door. Tori wouldn't do that to her. There had to be a reason she brought Beck. Jade opened the door slowly. Andre was there too. She looked to Tori for an explanation but she only stared back with concern.

"What are you guys doing here?" she questioned calmly.

"Tori's worried about you Jade. We all are. Cat would have been here but Tori wouldn't allow it for some reason and Robbie…well, you know how he feels about you," Andre said sheepishly. Jade only nodded and turned away as a sign that they could come in.

"Jade, are you ok? You don't look too good," Beck commented, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. Her muscles tensed under his touch which grew to be foreign to her. She reacted without any thought. In a flash, she snatched his hand off her shoulder, spun around, and had him off his feet and against the wall, hanging by his neck.

"Don't touch me," she threatened. Straker laughed in her mind. He was the cause of her sudden uneasiness around people who she considered friends. She trusted them so why did she let him persuade her to think differently? Andre rushed to help, freaked out at the turn of events but both Tori and Beck told him to stay put. Beck had gone out with Jade long enough to know when to push and when to ease off.

"Jade, we aren't here to do anything but talk. If anything, we're here for moral support and protection for Tori. She told us you were…resorting to violence when you got angry," Beck ground out. Jade bared her teeth at him, even if they weren't as threatening in this form. Her eyes held something though and Beck felt like she wouldn't be opposed to hurting him. Jade tried to reel in her conflicting emotions and slowly let Beck's feet touch the ground but she didn't release him.

"You shouldn't be here," she warned. Tori tentatively stepped forward.

"We only want to help. Please Jade," she begged. Her hand shook as it reached between them to rest on one of her arms. She relaxed their grip on Beck and then retreated completely. Straker was outraged that such an insignificant human could overcome his control on Jade. It was true. The way Tori made her feel overcame that dark pull within.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, backing away from Beck. He shook his head and rubbed his neck.

"Don't worry about it," he replied. Jade moved to flop on the couch with a tired breath. Her hands came up to rub her eyes.

"I can't do this anymore," she confessed. The boys looked confused and concerned but said nothing. Tori sighed and went to sit by Jade.

"You can't give up," the half Latina tried to encourage her. Jade looked at her and frowned guiltily. The short sleeved shirt Tori wore when she removed her jacket revealed a bandage around her arm. A healing cut on her cheek made her look away.

"What can we do to make him leave you alone?" Tori asked. Andre tilted his head in further confusion but Beck rolled his eyes. Yes, he was there for moral support but he also still cared for Jade, just in a friendly way. He wanted to see her happy but he wasn't going to entertain the idea that some demon had control over her every night. Beck knew Jade could be a convincing actress when she wanted to. He didn't forget the trick the goth played on Tori when they had to practice stage fighting. Andre had just as much of a hard time believing Tori's story. She had yelled at them to understand and even showed them her injury but it was still hard to believe so they came over with her.

"What does it matter? They probably think I'm making it up for attention," she said with a wave of her hand in their direction. Andre looked away but Beck didn't deny the claim.

"Well, so what. We're here to-" Tori began her response but Jade cut her off.

"Get the camera. You left it here. It's on that shelf," she pointed out. Tori returned with it.

"Play it," Jade commanded. Tori nodded and did as she was told. She passed it to the boys whose eyes widened more and more as they watched.

"Man, you guys are going to steamroll the rest of us," Andre admitted with praise. Tori glared at him in a way Jade would have if she wasn't in mental turmoil. Jade felt Tori take her hand in hers.

"What? What did I say?" Andre asked.

"That was real," Jade spoke up. Her voice lacked any of her usual snark or sarcasm. It was strangely flat and unlike her at all. It took Andre some time to understand before he cursed under his breath.

"Wait, so you guys didn't cut to apply make-up or…so that was really…," Beck tried to say. Their gaze landed on Jade who sighed and sat up, making them both flinch. She didn't take offense seeing as they were seeing the change in her as clear as day.

"You could have killed Tori…," Beck accused in a faraway tone. Jade looked away but nodded.

"And if you really believe us now, I want you guys gone by nightfall. I can't have you in harm's way. I'm not fully in control when that happens," she warned them. Tori's hand tightened on hers at the sound of that. Andre and Beck watched her, apprehension clear in their eyes, but at the same time they still looked concerned. Jade couldn't look any of them in the eyes. Straker was eager to kill off more than one person she cared for that night.


	8. Which Girl Will You Get To Know?

Beck, Andre, and Tori all agreed to spend the night regardless of what Jade said. There wouldn't be any school the next day and the only thing due was their project next week which they all had done. The reason they were so adamant was to try and help Jade overcome Straker when he was the most powerful, at night. So, they all went home to pack and returned as soon as possible. Jade only hoped her dad decided today was the day he went to meet that one chick he sometimes went on dates with

"Ok Jade, if you want we can lock you in your room. Thought it would be a good idea if we had you, oh I don't know, safely secure so you won't feel like we're in danger," Andre explained. She only nodded with acceptance. They had gathered in the living room for the time being. Beck and Andre kicked back on the couch while Tori lingered by Jade on another.

"So, what exactly…happens when you change?" Andre asked, moving his hands for further emphasis. Beck raised an eyebrow skeptically, Tori looked uncomfortable, and Jade laughed without humor.

"You aren't pulling our leg are you?" Beck tossed in.

"I'm sure you will see Beckett," she replied, her old smirk returning to her face. Beck shifted but remained quiet. They spent the remaining hour getting something to eat and then watched TV. They remained quiet as they each tried to come up with a way to help. Jade leaned on Tori while she had the chance. She didn't want to be remotely near the girl when it became dark. As the hour progressed, Jade felt more and more anxiety. She noticed it was the first thing to happen every night. She felt a twinge from the ring and sat up straight. The other three glanced at her.

She pushed Tori away who understood and got up to sit between the boys. Jade hastily got to her feet and ran for her room. She heard the boys and Tori follow behind her. She stopped when she made it in and turned to shut the door but the ring stopped her, making her fall to her knees. Andre and Beck watched in a mix of curiosity and nerves. Jade dug her fingers into the floor tightly, her fingers slowly tearing into it when they became claws. She let out a growl as her teeth sharpened. Her eyes shot open to burn holes at the other three with deep red eyes. Andre looked utterly frightened but Beck was shocked beyond belief.

"Jade?" he choked out. Tori backed away a little. Beck quickly slammed the door shut. Jade forced herself to close the lock on the door and spin the dial before Straker had control again.

"Smart of you to take precautions but it won't hold me long. I'll find a way to get out," Jade threatened through the door, unable to stop the flow of words Straker forced out her mouth.

"I need a breather," Andre confessed, running for the front door. Tori looked to Beck hopefully. All his attention was on the black door in front of him and Tori didn't like it. She had a horrible feeling that Jade could, in this state, somehow trick Beck into false security. As if Jade knew what she was thinking, that was exactly what she began to do.

"You believe Tori when she said I would hurt you? How could I hurt **you** Beck? I will always love you," she stated, an air of faux innocence laced in her words. Jade struggled with her own voice, trying to keep herself from saying more but she couldn't. Tori stayed paralyzed in fear even when she saw Beck place a hand on the door. She tried to talk but the jarring sound of Jade dragging a claw down the door shut her up. Beck however, remained entranced.

"Beck," Tori squeaked out. He looked back at her in confusion but Jade got his attention back quickly.

"I miss you Beck," she told him, her sickly sweet voice nothing the real Jade would ever use. Tori shook her head and pulled on Beck's arm. When Beck showed no signs of leaving, Tori panicked.

"Beck!" she screamed. He seemed to snap out of his blank stare and shook his head. Jade growled behind the door. Beck sucked in a breath and pulled away far from the door. Jade snarled at Tori angrily.

"Whoa, that was close," Beck said, rubbing his temples.

"Don't think that's all I can do," she threatened them.

"Jade, stop it! You need to fight back!" Tori yelled at her. Jade shook her head and then held a claw to her temple; the pain getting worse when she tried.

"I can't," she replied helplessly, her voice returning to normal for just those few words. Beck glanced at Tori and then left to get Andre. She looked at the door once more and forced herself to just walk away. Beck and Andre both walked back in the house when Tori descended down the stairs. They joined Tori on the couch.

"I can't help but feel like cartoon Tom and Jerry. Remember when Tom was on the other side of that line he drew in the sand to show how far the bulldog could go while he was tied to his dog house? We all know that dog gets him eventually…" Andre commented. Tori would have found that clever and humorous if it was used in a whole other situation but it was still true. Meanwhile, Jade paced in her room, refusing to let Straker see the code to the lock on the door. She knew in the back of her mind that these were her friends but that quickly overpowering force said otherwise. Back at the living room, Andre and Beck got up to find something to eat. Tori remained seated, not moving an inch.

"You'll be ok right?" Beck asked her. Tori nodded determinedly. He left with Andre and Tori got up to try and confront Jade again. Tori didn't even need to say a thing when she finally arrived at the door and sat leaning against the wall.

"You know how much I want you Tori?" Jade mused to the other girl. Tori glanced at the door in conflict but it soon gave way to anger.

"I won't fall for any of your tricks just so you can eat me. You aren't Jade," she shot back, refusing to use the name of the creature controlling Jade. Jade's response was a cold laugh.

"I thought you would have liked that," she replied slyly. Tori looked confused until realization hit and she couldn't fight the blush. She was strangely excited and disgusted at the thought. Jade smiled knowingly when she didn't reply. Tori had nothing more to say to that so she left with an irritated huff to get herself something to drink. Now that Jade was alone again, Straker set to work prying at her thoughts. She gritted her teeth in pain but slowly he pulled the needed information from her. He forced her to input it and wrench the door open. She darted for the stairs but skid to a stop when she heard the boys talking on the way up. She rushed down the stairs to catch them unaware. Tori followed behind them and looked up at that moment. She instantly jumped into action.

"Watch out!" she shouted. Both boys turned just as Jade advanced. She sent Andre flying and then grabbed the front of Beck's shirt and slammed him against the wall.

"Your turn pretty boy," she hissed. Andre and Tori ran and tackled her before she could further harm him. She lashed at Andre, cutting him across his chest. She grabbed Tori by the neck and threw her at Andre to keep them down. Beck stood only for Jade to rush at him. He caught her by the wrists and held her back. Before she knew it he twisted her arms behind her back and had her on her knees. She didn't stay down though. She shot to her feet, taking Beck with her. She flipped him over her so that he was splayed on the floor. Andre stopped her from attacking again by wrapping his arms around her shoulders to restrain her arms. She bit into his arm and he immediately let go. She spun and grabbed him then threw him into the wall, knocking him out.

Beck was up by now and ready to restrain her again with Tori by his side. She knocked Tori away and pounced on Beck. He attempted a blow but hesitated so she was able to block it, cutting into his arm, and slammed him to the floor roughly to latch a claw on his neck. They dug in until blood was drawn and he began to fall unconscious. His frantic grip did nothing to loosen her hold on him. Soon, he fell unconscious. Tori picked herself up and ran over to grab Jade in a chokehold. It was the only thing that calmed a struggling Trina so she hoped it worked. She dragged Jade away from Beck but she managed to slip out of her hold. With a snarl she leaped at Tori, causing them to fall backward over the couch and tumble to the floor on the other side. Jade held her down and sunk her teeth into her shoulder. Tori cried out in pain, the sound so sharp and cutting, it finally made Jade come to her senses. She pulled away, shock and guilt plain on her face.

"Fuck, Tori I…," she gasped. She couldn't deny loving the taste but the sound of her pain shocked her out of whatever hold Straker had on her. He screamed at her to kill her but Jade fought back. She managed to ignore him as she leaned in to hold a hand to the vicious bite on Tori's shoulder. The normally tan girl was getting pale.

"Jade, it's you," she whispered, a faint smile on her lips. Her searching hand found Jade's and squeezed it.

"Kind of late don't you think?" Tori asked. Jade was frantically looking for something to stop the bleeding so she only had time to shake her head.

"No, it isn't too late. Stay awake Tori," she pleaded.

"Jade just stop," she disagreed.

"No, you can't leave me. I-I love you…," she stated, tears of frustration and sadness coating every word. Tori grinned but it twisted in pain. Jade stripped off her button up to reveal a black tank top. She wound it under Tori and back up over her shoulder to tie it tightly, so it pressed on the wound. Tori hissed in pain. The blood spread over the shirt before slowing down. A plan formed in her mind and then she set it in motion. She ran to the back door and opened it with her clean left hand before sprinting outside and shutting it. She gathered her strength and then slammed her foot into the door, making it fly off the hinges and hit the wall behind it. She then called 911. She stayed by Tori until they arrived.

"Jade…," Tori whispered.

"Stop talking," she commanded. Tori shook her head.

"Love you…," she said next, a weak smile on her face. Jade let her tears fall.

"Love you too," she confirmed. She leaned down and kissed her, the normally warm half Latina barely responding. She pulled away to see Tori maintaining the slight smile on her face. Jade growled at the ring which literally burned into her skin this time. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air followed by Jade's hands returning to normal. Her teeth retracted as well. Soon, Tori was looking into the blue-green eyes she knew to be Jade West's. The sirens came into earshot just as Jade heard the unmistakable sound of an enraged Straker that quickly faded away. The next minute, people were swarming her, asking her questions, and carting away her friends. She drove herself to the hospital as soon as she found out she wasn't allowed to ride in the ambulance.

At the hospital she was questioned by police. She explained that these people in masks broke in and tortured them. When questioned how Tori had a deep bite mark, she relied on the only thriller movie she could remember off that bat that involved a murderer who changed his teeth during a crime; Red Dragon. She shuddered at the similarities between herself and the movie but moved on to say they were scared away at the sound of the sirens. It was a long shot but she had nothing else to go on and she was too worried about her friends to come up with anything better. On the plus side, there was no evidence against her so she couldn't be contradicted. Her dad was contacted before a doctor saw her. He was on a date with that chick just as Jade thought. She was soon called in and they examined her finger to report the ring had to be removed.

"Whatever; just remove it then," she replied a little hastily. It still hurt every once in a while but she mostly wanted it off before Straker could come back.

"You don't understand. You see, when we tried to simply tug on it…well, it seems to be melted into the skin. As you know we took x-rays which showed us that the ring is actually embedded in your bone as well," the doctor explained slowly, seeing if she would catch on. He looked confused but certain.

"You have to remove the finger…," she realized. The doctor nodded.

"Most of the finger is dead. You haven't been able to move it so there is nerve damage. The finger won't bend easy and the x-rays show the bone itself has fused. What did you say caused this?" the doctor asked.

"Some lunatics broke into my house and tortured me and my friends," she mumbled. The doctor hummed in thought before nodding and left to set up instructions for the surgery. She was allowed to see Beck and Andre before she went in. They were both fine now that they were all patched up. They had no lasting damage. She only had time to tell them the story she made up before she was taken away. As she lied on the surgery table, the only thoughts running through her head was that she wanted desperately to see Tori and hoped that she was ok. The anesthesia kicked in and she fell under to the first peaceful sleep she had in days.

* * *

Jade woke up in an unfamiliar room and then remembered that she was in the hospital. She groaned and shifted. She looked around to see Cat, Beck, and Andre lounging on chairs and watching the news on the small TV in the room. She smiled and cleared her throat. They all looked at her and stood to crowd around her bed.

"Here you go Jade," Cat said, offering her water in a small paper cup. Jade downed it appreciatively.

"How are you guys?" she asked.

"Never been better," Beck replied teasingly. Andre nodded in agreement.

"I'm sorry," she told them, looking down at her bandaged left hand. The middle finger was now gone along with the cursed ring. She was free. Beck saw her train of thought and placed a hand over her non-bandaged hand.

"We understand," he replied. She nodded and then moved on to her next worry.

"Where's Tori?" she asked. Cat smiled happily.

"She's ok. She lost a lot of blood but otherwise she was lucky not to have lost as much as she could have. Not like that one time with my brother…," Cat spoke up. She rambled and Jade didn't mind. Beck cut in not too long after though.

"The news has been reporting a string of deaths involving a lunatic that is biting and draining their victims. I think it's perfectly safe to say they will put our case with those seeing as they do have something in common. The news urges anyone not to linger alone at night," he told her. Jade looked away warily. Those deaths were her fault as well.

"Hey, don't feel guilty, it wasn't you," Andre assured her calmly. She only let it be true for the sake of her mental health. They hung around a moment longer before they had to go. Jade was released not too long later. They instructed her and her dad what was needed to treat her hand, given painkillers and antibiotics, and told not to get it wet until it was fully healed and the stitches removed. Before she could leave however, she was allowed in to see Tori. The beautiful half Latina was sitting in bed watching the news which seemed to be the only channel on there. She walked in uncertainly but when Tori saw her she smiled and her face lit up. She held up her arms like old times and Jade wasted no time rushing into her embrace. Everything was going to be ok.

* * *

**Ok so, I'm thinking of leaving it here but I have a slight Epilogue that I could add. It isn't much but if anyone wants it let me know I'll tack it on.**


	9. Epilogue

**Sat down to crank this out. Yes, its fairly short but I said it wasn't much. For anyone interested there is a sneak peek of what I wan't to start next, however, I'm looking for a little more reviews on the overall opinion of this one. It is my first step into the Victorious fandom and I honestly want to know how I did. So with that in mind, drop me a lovely review and enjoy!**

* * *

Jade and Tori sat in a cleaned up version of Jade's room. Jade was leaning against her pillows and Tori was leaning back on her. Her head rested on Jade's shoulder and if Jade glanced down she could see the scar covering Tori's shoulder. Her tank top revealed both the marks of the bite and the cuts on her arm. The boys were marked the same way with their own now healed injuries. Jade ran a hand over the bite mark softly before tilting Tori's head up so she could kiss her. They had just gotten back to Jade's house from school.

Sikowitz freaked out over their project. Everyone except those involved thought it was amazing. Only Jade, Tori, Beck, and Andre were aware just how real it was. Seeing it from a third person perspective made Jade just as uncomfortable. Tori held her hand throughout the whole class and only felt slightly better when Sikowitz gave them a perfect score. The whole thing was forgotten however when Tori dragged Jade off to the janitor's closet for a heated make out session to get her mind off it and make her feel better. It did. Jade smiled at the memory but was brought back to the present by Tori.

"Do you ever find yourself thinking about it?" Tori whispered. Jade thought she meant everything that happened but Tori was running her fingers lightly over Jade's left hand softly. She shrugged.

"Sometimes I feel like it's still there and I can feel the pain, but then I remember that it isn't," she replied. She flexed her hand, moving four fingers.

"Then again, the only down side is I can't flip anyone off with my left hand anymore. Whatever, I still have my right," she pointed out, holding up her perfectly offensive right middle finger as an example. Her attempt at humor was not lost on Tori who laughed.

"I can't believe they let you keep it," she commented with disgust. Jade chuckled, knowing her face was scrunched in her usual disgusted expression she directed at things Jade said were fascinating since she knew Tori. They glanced over at the added jar to Jade's collection. After all the trouble the ring gave her, she still got something to add to her shelf. The new jar, containing the ring still on her removed finger, was placed by another jar of mysterious origins she had gotten in the past. Tori grew quiet suddenly before hesitantly asking her next question. Jade didn't react well anytime she was questioned about the demon known as Straker but she just had to know.

"How was he finally stopped?" she wondered. Jade frowned, her earlier smile sliding off her face.

"This might sound cheesy but…I don't think he could stand something as pure as love," Tori continued, shyly sharing her idea. Well, he did make an effort to kill Tori. He must have known. Jade looked down at her curiously, resisting the urge to tease her.

"Well think about it. After we told each other it burst into flame and the metal grew so hot it melted through skin and bone. I'll bet he tried so hard to stop you that it back fired, banishing him forever. It was too strong for him," she explained unabashedly. Jade laughed and hugged her girlfriend close.

"Remind me to take you with me every time I decide to pick out some ancient piece of jewelry. We can make out to exorcise whatever demon hates the power of love," Jade joked, burying her face in the brunette's neck. Tori laughed and Jade kissed her scar.

"I think you should just lay off stuff like that and go back to pinning bugs to a board or something," Tori advised, appreciating the beautifully delicate butterflies pinned up.

"I should, shouldn't I?" Jade replied. Tori nodded.

"Ok, sounds safe to me. That ring was the worst sixty buck I ever spent anyway," Jade commented. Tori chuckled and nodded again in agreement. She intertwined their hands, two fingers sharing a space were Jade's missing finger was on her left hand. She reached up and met Jade's lips with her own. Jade returned the kiss with as much love as she could. She already came close to losing her and she wouldn't make the same mistake twice. When they parted, out of breath, they relaxed into the soft bed and looked out the now almost always open window. The darkness wasn't the same to Jade. She came to appreciate the light, warmth, and sun. It wasn't just life sustaining but it also reminded her of her own personal sun sitting with her. Tori saved her from herself in more ways than one. They sat together, happily enjoying the sun's rays in comfortable silence.

* * *

**Sneak Peek of TGSU (title hidden for now):**

_Beck didn't want to know what the folder contained but he snatched it from the agent's hand anyway and flipped open the file, cringing and shutting it when he got a peek inside._

_"Those deaths weren't our fault! We're being targeted!" Beck snarled, shoving the file back in the agent's hands. The other agents shifted ever so slightly. Beck knew they were armed and it put him on edge. He sighed and reined in his anger._

_"We know this and we have a proposition," the agent remarked._

_"What is it?" Beck asked. Another agent pulled out a second file but this one was red instead of blue. He handed it over and Beck slowly opened it this time. The pictures it held were no better. He grimaced at the picture of a girl with her throat ravaged by what looked like an animal. He went to shut it but the agent stopped him._

_"Keep looking," he commanded. Beck gave him a hard glare but did as he was told. He shifted to the next picture that showed the same girl, fully healed, and strapped to a steel table. Her eyes looked like liquid fire, burning red and she had fangs. The next picture was of a dead doctor lying over the same steel table but the cables tying the girl down were broken. His neck looked like it was torn out and broken. The next picture was of the same girl, knees drawn up, and sitting in the corner of the room, utterly devoid of emotion. Blood ran down her chin. Beck closed the folder and handed it back._

_"What does that have to do with anything?" he asked._

_"We are pretty sure she isn't human. We found her a while back when you first got to New Jersey. She's been hunting criminals. We think she doesn't intentionally want to harm anyone," the agent explained._

_"And you want us to talk to her right? Have her join our band of-" he said, but another agent cut him off._

_"It's ideal that you do or we have no choice but to destroy her," he said seriously. Beck fell silent._

_"What's in it for you?" he asked after a few minutes of silence._

_"We need you to find the elusive Black Shadow. He's been killing mass amounts of people. Haven't you heard?" the agent replied skeptically._

_"No, we don't watch the news," Beck replied._

_"Well, I'm sure his targets have been very personal to you," the agent went on to say. Beck's jaw tightened and they watched him warily._

_"Fine, let me talk to the others. Leave me contact information and we'll get back to you," he responded, giving in. They nodded, handed him a glossy card, and then walked away. Beck watched them go with a sigh and then turned around to share the news._**  
**

* * *

__**So, sounds interesting right? As a little side note it won't be Beck orientated that's just a piece of the whole puzzle. Anywho, until then readers...**


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